Popular UAE performing arts centre, StepUp Academy, this year found great success at the International Festival of Dance and Performing Arts (IFDPA) competition in Disneyland Paris, claiming six trophies through a series of performances by 20 of its students, aged seven to thirteen.

The IFDPA is the premier dance championship held at Disneyland Paris, where performers from over 30 countries worldwide take to the stage to compete. StepUp Academy first found international recognition in 2017, when its video submission to the international festival earned the academy the opportunity to perform, making it the first UAE dance school to be invited to participate.

StepUp Academy Manager, Ms Lovering-Parker, said in addition to its unwavering commitment to the UAE’s local community, the academy was focused on cementing exciting opportunities for students to perform internationally and showcase their talent against global peers. With the high level of skill required to compete on the world stage, StepUp Academy says it showcases the UAE’s enthusiasm for the arts and is honoured by the success of its students at the IFDPA awards.

“Being the only dance academy in the UAE to have won at the IFDPA competition, it is hugely exciting and something we are proud of. While the academy is based in Dubai, providing opportunities for our dancers to participate in highly competitive, international events such as this is a part of our ongoing commitment to supporting both our students and the country at an international level,” Ms Lovering-Parker said.

StepUp Academy has participated in a variety of events at Disneyland Paris over the past two years. Starting with the performance showcase in 2017, the dance teams also took part in professional workshops by the musical and dance superstars from the resort. In 2018, the students once again participated in the original showcase, as well as performing in the pre-parade only available to those who were selected based on a video submission of a choreographed piece assigned by Disneyland Paris. The parade took place down the main street of the park and around the iconic Disneyland castle. The opportunity to compete was the highlight for StepUp Academy, with its dancers placing in first, second, and third over six categories.

With ten locations across the UAE, StepUp Academy offers a wide range of dance and performing arts classes for students of all ages. With an array of dance classes, such as ballet, street jazz, cheerleading and acro, the centre also hold regular music and singing lessons. Camps are provided during school breaks three times a year, specialising in performing arts or multiple skills.

For more information about StepUp Academy and its classes visit www.stepup.ae.