Fresh from the stage at Disneyland Paris, a group of young Jersey dancers will be bringing the magic home this weekend with a special Disney-themed performance.
This weekend will be an opportunity to see Disney-themed dance routines after a team of young dancers premiered them at Disneyland Paris last month.
Saturday’s performance by Just Move Dance Studio forms part of a range of events put on for Ballet in the Park, organised by Ballet d’Jèrri.
The ‘Dancin’ Fool’ routine was originally choreographed to be performed at Disneyland Paris – an opportunity awarded to a Jersey dance school eight months’ preparation work and several rounds of auditions.
Aged six to 14, the 22 Jersey dancers from Just Move spent eight months auditioning and rehearsing before they boarded the plane before the Spring Bank Holiday.
With parents and teachers, a total of 69 people made the trip.
“It was the most amazing thing,” dance teacher Danielle Brien said.
“It was so lovely, the nicest thing ever – not just for the kids but for the parents and the teachers.”
The trip was a whirlwind of early-morning rehearsals, a backstage tour of the theatre, going on rides, and performing on stage and in pre-parades with hundreds of other dancers.
This saw them join 430 students from across the UK and Europe, all in the same uniforms and looking “like a team”, according to Danielle.
Despite the busy schedule, the families got to enjoy the park around their rehearsals, and some families stayed on to visit Paris.
One more surprise awaited Danielle, her mum Sandra and fellow teacher Paris Nield when they landed back in Jersey – with children from the school at the airport to greet them.
The dancing was the highlight for Danielle, she said, but for the students it was also performing with dancers from different age groups, styles, and levels, who would normally never be in a class together.
Around 70 hours of rehearsals went into the performances, and the girls were able to put some of the £3,000 they raised through sponsors, cake sales and more, towards the lessons once the trip itself was paid for.
“Everyone said that they would do it again. Our first off-island trip with the dance school – it was a really amazing experience,” Danielle said.
Don’t miss…
The team will be performing again at Ballet in the Park at Howard Davis Park on Saturday 28 June from around 18:45.
The school will also be sending two solo dancers.
The weekend features of full schedule of events, with open classes and workshops as well as performances from local professional and student dancers.