The Chronicle

Toowoomba dancers to perform in a Disneyland parade

- ALEXIA AUSTIN Alexia.Austin@thechronic­le.com.au

MANY children dream of visiting Disneyland to meet the characters, but few will get as close to them as the young performers at Toowoomba and Gatton’s Dance Force Academy.

Thirty-six dance students from the Darling Downs and Lockyer Valley have been selected to perform as part of the Hong Kong Disneyland Christmas parade this December.

The students will perform alone alongside Disneyland staff during the parade.

The principal of the Dance Force Academy Sarah Hoyling said the dancers, who ranged from ages six to 24, were excited to visit the country.

“We go on an internatio­nal tour every third year - in 2015 it was to California,” Ms Hoyling said.

“They are so excited they have a countdown app on their phones.

“I have two girls coming that have been on all four internatio­nal tours with me.”

Along with the valuable Disneyland experience the girls will also participat­e in Chinese dance classes and present a seven-act stage show in Ocean Park Theme Park and shopping centres.

They are also the first troupe from Australia to be accepted to entertain the Christmas crowds in a busy Hong Kong MTR station.

The girls have been preparing by practising their parade dance down Ruthven St and around Lake Apex in Gatton, entertaini­ng the residents.

The team is due to jet off to Hong Kong on December 9.

 ??  ?? TRIP OF A LIFETIME: Part of the Dance Force troupe heading to Hong Kong next month are (from left) Brooke Gothmann, Claire Apel, Sabrina Baratta and Tia Baratta.
TRIP OF A LIFETIME: Part of the Dance Force troupe heading to Hong Kong next month are (from left) Brooke Gothmann, Claire Apel, Sabrina Baratta and Tia Baratta.

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