Young Swansea dancers to perform at Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade

A troupe of 13 young dancers in Swansea are about to have the experience of a lifetime as they’re getting ready to perform at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade next week.

The group at Loralee’s Dance Studio has already made their mark across the country, leading the parade at Disney twice before, but their dreams of marching down 34th Street in the Big Apple always seemed to be just out of reach.

But after three years of Loralee Levesque, owner of the studio and a mom of one of the dancers, sending in audition tapes, the crew was finally selected to be a part of the tradition that kicks off the holidays.

“They only take 500 dancers from all over the United States and it’s the top 500 they choose and we have 13 our ours going,” Levesque said. “Beyond excited. This is the biggest thing we’ve ever done.”

The group consists of 12 girls and 1 boy between 14 and 17 years-old who will be making the trip. It’s a part of the Spirit of America dance stars.

The costumes are in and the hotels are booked, now the only thing left to do is put the finishing touches on two brand new routines.

But there’s no pressure at all, as the dancers say it’s a once in a lifetime experience to march in the parade and dance in front of a national audience.

“We were speechless. We didn’t know what to say,” said Zackary Almeida, a 16 year-old dancer. “The big balloons, the floats, a lot of people.”

“[It’s] nerve wracking but it’s also extremely exciting,” said Sara Almeida. “It’s something you never think you’re going to do in your life.”

Levesque said she has a special group and they’re ready to take the national stage by storm.

“I always call my dancers my children. I see them more than sometimes they see their parents,” she said. “We are a nice tight-knit family.”

Even though it’s going to be a grueling week as the team arrives in New York on Saturday, it won’t be all work and no play.

They’re going to be visiting the 9/11 memorial, see a Broadway show, and visit Lady Liberty, among other things.