A group of young dancers from the island is heading to Paris for a competition.

Members of Gena’s Dance Academy, a Peel-based dance school, are going to the IFDPA (International Festival of Dance and Performing Arts) dance championships in Disneyland Paris.

The event takes place annually with competitors attending from more than 30 countries, enabling young performers to meet and compete at an international level.

This will be the second year GDA has entered the competition.

Last year the junior dancers were placed seconnd in their category and the seniors placed third.

The dancers, aged between seven and 14 years, will travel to Paris today (Friday) to compete in the two-day event.

They will be accompanied by their parents and GDA teachers Gena Walker and Lucy Matthews, who have choreographed the competition pieces.

The weekend event culminates with the dancers taking part in the Disney Park Parade, which will see thousands of people line the park streets to watch the competitors perform a special routine prepared by Disney choreographers.

The dancers had to audition to gain a place in the park parade performance.

Douglas-based finance sector company the Knox Group has paid for T-shirts for the nine dancers.

Gena Walker, the owner of GDA, said: ’Without the support of our sponsors including the Isle of Man Arts Council, the Barrowman Foundation and the Knox group of companies we wouldn’t be able to attend.’