Derry Township dancers to perform in Disney World show in early December
Students at a Derry Township dance studio will get a behind-the-scenes look at Disney World next month when they perform in two production numbers at the Orlando theme park.
The Dance Alley will send 29 dancers, ages 7 to 18, to the park Dec. 6-8. They auditioned to join 800 other dancers from around the world in an event organized by Dance the Magic, a dance production company based in Huntington Beach, Calif.
Studio owner and director Amanda Dumnich choreographed a number that the students will perform during a showcase at Theater in the Wild, part of the park’s Animal Kingdom section.
“We’re doing fun songs that relate to travel,” she said. “We started working on it in June.”
The students also will take part in a Christmas-related number choreographed by Jenny Barr of Dance the Magic. In their final performance, they’ll march in a parade through the Magic Kingdom and along Main Street, U.S.A.
They’ll be accompanied by Dumnich, Dance Alley instructor Abbigail Grosso and family members.
During their stay at Disney World, the dancers will be considered temporary park cast members, according to Dumnich. As such, she said, “They’ll get to see behind the scenes.”
Their rehearsals for the performances will be guided by current and former Disney cast members.
“They’ll give them feedback and share the knowledge that they have,” Dumnich said.
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.
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