Young dancers’ Californian dreaming turns to nightmare as trip collapses
Young dancers have missed out on a trip of a lifetime to Los Angeles after organisers changed dates days before they were due to fly.
The youngsters from Firebird Dance Company in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, should have been on a plane to the US yesterday for a holiday that included a visit to Disneyland. But Firebird owner Natalie Skinner said the organisers told her on Wednesday that the trip would n ow happen in February.
The 24- year-old said Connect Your Talent ( CYT) was paid more than £ 1,000 by each parent and child but when she contacted the airline and hotel, there were no bookings made.
The company said it was forced to change the date because too many people had pulled out.
Ms Skinner, 24, said: “This was supposed to be a holiday of a lifetime. Everyone is absolutely devastated.”
Carol Bell’s daughters, Cara and Kyla, from Glasgow, had been due to fly to LA yesterday. The healthcare worker, 54, said: “My girls are gutted. This was their dream and I’ve been saving for this for 18 months.”
Ms Skinner became suspicious when the company failed to provide an itinerary. She said: “They messaged us to say the trip had been moved to February because another school had dropped out.”
Ms Skinner has threatened the company with legal action, while parents have demanded refunds. CYT said its lawyers were now dealing with the dispute.
CYT said: “Unfortunately the event had to be cancelled because so many people had withdrawn that it was impractical to continue.
“We have offered an alternative date which we had hoped would be acceptable but the participants have declined that.
“We are anxious to work towards a mutually acceptable solution which may include alternative dates or a full or partial refund.”