NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. — Some young North Andover tap dancers are perfecting their shuffles and buffaloes before a performance on a historical stage.
The American Tap Company learned less than a week ago they had been selected to dance at the inauguration after applying for one of the coveted spots.
[ via GIPHY ]
"Basically we started this process in May, but our application wasn't decided until December,” said choreographer Karen Carberry.
Since learning the good news, the dancers spent hours perfecting their routine over just three days, ready to not just witness history, but step into it.
"This is a huge opportunity for the company and it's an honor to be a part of it,” said 13-year-old Maria Heim, from Atkinson, New Hampshire.
Twenty-eight total performers will be traveling with the company to D.C., and despite some of the controversy, Carberry said the opportunity is about patriotism, not politics.
"The fact that we are getting to perform in something that is a celebration of that democracy and the process of that democracy is a huge honor," she said.
The dance has a patriotic theme; as do all the songs they'll perform to on stage Thursday near the Lincoln Memorial. The routine is twice as long as a regular number.
"It's such a large crowd. We've never performed in that big of a crowd before,” said Livia Spino, a 14-year-old tap dancer from North Andover.
"This is incredible. I never thought as a 3-year-old tap dancer that I'd be here today performing at the presidential inauguration," said Maria.
Some of the dancers will stay for the inauguration the next day.