Dalby dancers to star on stage

'Confident young ladies' take on Toowoomba's Empire Theatre for their production of Rapunzel.

Schaila Morris. Picture: Contributed

THE costumes are ready, the steps rehearsed and tomorrow three Dalby dancers will help bring to life the story of Rapunzel on the stage of the magnificent Empire Theatre, Toowoomba.

The two senior dancers, Emma Celledoni, 16, and Schaila Morris, 19, both have soloist roles.

Emma will play a friend of the hero, Flynn, while Schaila will be the graceful Egyptian dancer at the flower festival to celebrate the queen's birthday.

Emma Celledoni. Picture: Contributed

This will be their second year with the Toowoomba Ballet Theatre annual production.

They will be joined by Gracie Mack, 11, who will make her TBT debut as a garland dancer.

Gracie Mack. Picture: Contributed

The trio, from the Southern Star Academy of Dance, will be in the 73-member cast, with young performers in the cast of Rapunzel from almost 30 studios in the region.

While the students have been rehearsing at Radiance Studio, Toowoomba, each Sunday since mid-January, director Mia Huston has been working on the show for much longer, organising the music, costumes, imaginative props, as well as coaching the young dancers.

Audiences this year will be treated to an aerial display using silks and lanterns which disappear into the sky.

Rapunzel herself will wear a monster wig, which weighs almost 2.4kg and is 2m long.

There will be a unicorn, zombies, acrobatics, dancers being unveiled magically and a villain who wears a serious pair of horns to help tell the story.

For local ballet teacher Danielle Small, who has taught the girls for most of their lives, the most rewarding part is seeing just how confident her girls have become having been a part of the whole experience.

"I'm proud of them for putting themselves out there and going to audition,” Mrs Small.

"Especially for the younger ones it can be a little bit more daunting, but they're very confident young ladies.”

Hundreds of dancers from across the region auditioned for a coveted role in the ballet theatre's two-show program, but only the best were selected.

The girls have been travelling to Toowoomba on weekends to perform in the company - a much larger and more prestigious company.

Rapunzel will open at 6pm tomorrow at the Empire Theatre, with shows at 1pm and 6pm Sunday. Tickets start at $25. Go to www. empiretheatre.com.au.