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South Norfolk dance group selected to perform on Videopolis stage at Disneyland Paris




A dance troupe are travelling from Diss to Disneyland to take part in the performance of a lifetime.

Performers from Centre Stage Studio have been specially selected by talent scouts at Disneyland Paris to show off their routines on theme park’s legendary Videopolis stage next week.

Dance teacher Nicole Cottee, who runs the studio, said she was in disbelief when she was first approached by Disney officials last year.

Some of the dancers of the Centre Stage Studio who are off to Paris. Picture: Nicole Cottee
Some of the dancers of the Centre Stage Studio who are off to Paris. Picture: Nicole Cottee

“I received a message saying ‘would you be interested’,” said Miss Cottee, who lives in Tudor Avenue, Roydon.

“I thought it was a joke because it’s not the kind of message you get every day, but they said they had found us on Facebook, because they had seen we had done some performing in the community.”

Miss Cottee’s class had recently taken part in a fundraising initiative to raise money for a lung cancer charity.

Nicole Cottee, pictured, teaches the class from Centre Stage Studio, in Thetford. Picture by Mecha Morton.
Nicole Cottee, pictured, teaches the class from Centre Stage Studio, in Thetford. Picture by Mecha Morton.

The children, aged between eight and 14, meet weekly at the Charles Burrell Centre, in Thetford.

“Disneyland asked us to do an audition video,” said 27-year-old Miss Cottee.

“We got together to learn two jazz routines and sent the videos off – then we had to wait to find out whether we were successful or not.

“The kids didn’t know what they were auditioning for, because I didn’t want them to be disappointed if we weren’t accepted, but they accepted us straight away.”

The children – most of whom are from Diss and the surrounding villages – were shown a video of Mickey Mouse revealing the big news, with their parents present in the room to share the moment.

“There were a few tears and lots of screaming,” said Miss Cottee.

“Lots of them thought I was joking.

“I wanted the parents to be there because I thought it would be nice for them to see the kids’ faces when they found out.”

Jubilation quickly turned into steely determination as the kids were tasked with nailing down four performances – to ‘Dancing Catchy Rhythm’, ‘Skulls and Trombones’, ‘Love Today’ and ‘Hold your Dream’ – which they will be performing in front of more than 300 people in Paris.

Since March, they have been meeting multiple times a week to rehearse before they set off on Wednesday.

During the performance, which is set to last for 20 minutes, the girls in the group will be sporting sparkly dresses whilst the one boy will be donning a dashing red sequined shirt and black shorts.

“They’re very excited,” Miss Cottee. “We have done little shows before but nothing on this scale.

“Every time I see them they give me a countdown until the day we perform.”

A double decker bus will take Miss Cottee, her 16 dancers and around 60 friends and family across the English Channel on a ferry, before they
spend four nights at a Disney
hotel.

Their performance will take place on Thursday.

“It’s going to be a very loud bus,” Miss Cottee joked.

“I have been teaching the kids for about four years, and it’s quite an achievement.

“I’m very proud of them.”



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