EXCITEMENT is building for a group of talented West Fife dancers as they prepare to jet off and perform for Scotland on the global stage.

Nineteen members of Centre Stage Performing Arts, based in Crossgates, will fly out to Braga, Portugal, today (Thursday) to take part in the Dance World Cup World Finals.

The event, which has been described as "the OIympics of Dance", will welcome around 7,500 competitors from all corners of the globe to compete.

Dancers from Centre Stage successfully came through qualifiers for the right to represent Scotland, and will do so at every discipline.

A parade around the Portuguese city will open the proceedings tomorrow (Friday) before the competition begins, and Louise Ferrier, the founder and principal teacher of Centre Stage, told the Press: "Everyone is super excited - it's such a big achievement.

"We're getting closer. We've had great rehearsals, and they're getting nervous as well. It's a big step up in competition from local, regional and national level – it's the biggest competition in the world. It's about us training and managing them, and making sure they're confident and ready.

"They have to go out and do their best. The kids have worked really hard, and me and the other staff have worked really hard as well."

Louise, who held a tracksuit reveal party for when their team kit arrived – at which she said they were "like kids at Christmas" – said that she was moved to remind her dancers that putting themselves in a place to secure qualification to represent Scotland was "an achievement in itself".

As well as the opening night parade and the competition itself, the dancers will also be able to attend some masterclass workshops throughout the eight days that the event runs for.

"They're just proud to be Scottish," Louise continued.

"This was a dream a couple of years ago for the school and the dancers, and we can't wait. They deserve it.

"It's a dream come true, and it might only happen once. I'm excited to see them on stage."

The 2023 Dance World Cup begins tomorrow (Friday) and runs until Saturday July 8.

As well as in Crossgates, Centre Stage run classes in Dunfermline, Kelty and Rosyth, and, for more information, find them on Facebook, or at www.centrestageperformingarts.com.