Young dancers from Eden shared a pitch with pop band the Kaiser Chiefs in front of 50,000 people for the Rugby League World Cup opening ceremony.
Eden Dance, based in Penrith, was invited to perform at the ceremony at St James’ Park in Newcastle ahead of the England v Samoa game.
The group had had weeks of rehearsals ahead of the performance, which saw them join with hundreds of other dancers from across the UK.
Eden Dance members were performing near the Kaiser Chiefs, but a technical mishap resulted in the stadium losing audio which meant they had to cut their performance short.
Ricky Tomlinson, Kaiser Chiefs lead singer, led the dancers and crowd in a Mexican wave to help keep everyone entertained.
They were praised for their resilience in dealing with the error.
Owner of Eden Dance, Kelly McClelland said: “It was such a wonderful opportunity for these dancers, aged seven to adult to be a part of.
“I am extremely proud of my dancers’ hard work in the lead-up to the event and their professionalism on the day.
“Being from a small town, getting big opportunities is a dream come true and I am very grateful to the Rugby League.”
Kelly has been involved in Rugby League’s Momentum programme since 2015 and has been asked back with her dancers for events, including the Magic Weekend.
Two former Eden Dance students, Blair Moore and Cameron Woolnough, also performed.
