THEY sparkled with a pristine Paris performance and now a group of talented Crossgates dancers want more Disney magic in 2019.

Fifteen youngsters from Centre Stage Dance Academy enjoyed the adulation of performing to huge crowds at Disneyland as the French resort marked its 25th anniversary.

Led by principal tutor and academy founder, Louise Ferrier, the dancers – aged 5-14 – performed at the Videopolis Theatre, in the park’s Adventureland, after successfully auditioning last year for the ‘Perform in the Magic’ experience, which provides dance or performing arts schools with the chance to perform in a Disney park.

Thrilled Louise, who said the group were still “buzzing” after the trip, now hopes to take them to Disneyland in Florida in two years time.

“When the kids came back to class, their mums were saying that they hadn’t taken their Disney hoodies off, and one of the girls was still sleeping with her t-shirt on!” she said.

“After watching them on stage, and even now back on video, it shows they worked so hard and that their confidence just grew. They were all so on point; they were so professional and the theatre was massive, so there was a really big crowd. 

“I couldn’t sleep the night before and, when they had their first costume check, I had butterflies so I’ve no idea what they were feeling! It was a very versatile show with a lot of different styles, like acro dancing, tap and jazz, and costumes, but they were flawless.

"I’m just so proud of them! We’re starting auditions in August for Disney Florida in 2019, so we’ll be looking to expand the team. But it’s a lot of hard work!”

She added: “They were really proud and completely on a high, knowing how much their hard work paid off. It was a whirlwind weekend after an 18-month process from the audition through to performing.

"There were long and intense rehearsals, and some tears, but it is memories that will last forever.

"We got a lot of positive comments from people we didn’t know, which was a bit overwhelming. The whole thing couldn’t have gone any better; it exceeded my expectations.”

Centre Stage offer a variety of classes for youngsters from 18 months and upwards, including acro dance, team performance, street dance and adult fitness classes.

For information, find their Facebook page or go to centrestageda.co.uk.