Teen dance troupe from P.E.I. to perform in festival at Disney World

Dance Virtuosa's young company will perform at Disney World this week as part of the Dance the World Festival — an opportunity their instructor says could open doors for the teens, if they choose that career path. 

The group of eight Prince Edward Island dancers and two instructors are leaving for Orlando, Fla., on Tuesday and will be there for just over a week. They'll join other dancers from Canada, the United States and beyond.

The Dance Virtuosa contingent will perform twice. The first appearance will be a piece choreographed by Disney, and the second is an original piece choreographed by owner and artistic director Kashena Collins. It's a six-minute Pirates of the Carribean-inspired routine, with a Maritime twist.

"We tried to cater it to Disney but also trying to pull from some of our background — where we're from," said Collins. "Disney's got Pirates of the Caribbean, which is so much fun, and we live in the Maritimes, and there's a history of pirates here too. So we tried to combine the two."

The dancers can't say much about the Disney choreography, but it will be part of a parade down Mainstreet U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom.

"As a little kid, I always loved watching the parades, so it's very cool to actually be in it now," said dancer Lorynn Crawford. "I'm excited to see how it works backstage because Disney has all this magic. It's just perfect."  

Collins says the group has been working on the Disney choreography for months and just got a peek at their costumes last week. The dancers won't get their hands on them until they arrive in Florida. 

Our ruby red slippers ... I'm excited to get those.— Brianna Smith

"Our ruby red slippers ... I'm excited to get those," said Brianna Smith. "They're little red heels, sparkly and red, kind of like Dorothy's slippers [from The Wizard of Oz]."

Their instructor said the trip is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the young dancers, who are mostly between the ages of 16 and 18. Collins said similar opportunities she as given in her youth continue to pay off. 

"To this day, I still have contacts with people that I had worked with in the past, and I've been able to integrate that into my life now. So really trying to get these girls to break out of their shells when they're down there and introduce themselves to people ... you just never know how that relationship can develop later on in life."

That's could be important for dancers like Morgan Coffin, who started with the studio at age three and has dedicated her life to dance. She's 17 now. 

"I spend more time in the studio than my own home, it seems," she said. "I would love to keep doing this as a career."

It won't be all business while they're in Florida, said Collins. There will be time for the dancers to relax and enjoy themselves too. 

"I'm a firm believer — if you work hard, you play hard. And they've earned a little time off together as a group to really enjoy the magic that's Disney," said Collins.