BOISE, Idaho — A group of dancers from the Treasure Valley are getting ready to showcase their skills on an international platform. They just qualified for the ‘World of Dance.’ The AF Dance Fam Crew consist of dancers between the ages of 13 and 18. They recently auditioned for ‘World of Dance,’ and danced their way to the championships.
“Really didn't expect too much. but we walked away with a golden ticket,” Austin Fernando, the group’s artistic director said. “That means we get to go to the championships in August out in California. We get to represent Idaho and go head-to-head with teams from all around the U.S. and over 30 different countries internationally.”
He told KTVB, they were in Las Vegas recently for a different performance, when they heard about the auditions and without skipping a beat, they tried out.
“It was a little nerve wracking because it was a really intimate setting,” Fernando said. “We're kind of used to performing on large stages with audiences who are able to cheer and clap and let us know like, ‘oh, you guys are doing a great job, right?’ [but] we are in like a small studio audition, just three judges, dead silence.”
Then, they had to wait.
“You're waiting in that studio for like, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, and it feels like hours,” Fernando said. “They came back in gave us like some general feedback and we were getting a little nervous… and then they surprised us by turning around and showing us that golden ticket. So, it was exciting. “
An exciting moment and big step for these Idahoans, who are now getting ready to take on the world of dance.
“To be a team from Idaho, or just to be a group from Idaho to represent the state on like that international stage, it definitely feels a little like unreal at times,” Fernando said.
NBC had a show called ‘World of Dance’ that was cancelled in 2020. This is the competition’s 15th year.
“This is a result of their efforts more than anything else,” Fernando said. “They really worked hard to get to this point and I’m just glad that they get some recognition for their for their hard work.”
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