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Wolverhampton students have the time of their lives with Dirty Dancing troupe

Stars of record-breaking musical Dirty Dancing gave students the time of their lives ahead of the show's run at the Wolverhampton Grand next year.

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Around 40 dance students from the Coppice Performing Arts School in Wednesfield were treated to a demonstration of some of the show's memorable moves.

Choreographer Glenn Wilkinson and cast members Jacqui Biggs and James Bennett led the budding dancers through their paces as part of a promotional tour.

The show, based on the iconic 1987 film starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, hits the Wolverhampton Grand for a 19-day stint starting in September 2014.

Katie Evans, press officer at Wolverhampton Grand, said the production would probably be the biggest in the Grand's history.

"The musical has enjoyed incredible success and it is going to be a huge event for the city," she said. "Following in the footsteps of the likes of Cats and Ghost: The Musical, this really is an exciting time for theatre goers in Wolverhampton."

Students are put through their paces at the demonstation

Since the show's current run started in 2011 it has been seen by more than one million people and has smashed box office records all over the country. Theatre bosses at the Grand said they are expecting demand for tickets to be 'extremely high' after very strong advance sales.

Steve Clifton, head of performing arts at Coppice Performing Arts School, said it was fantastic to be able to host the launch. "It was great to welcome the team from Dirty Dancing – and what an experience for our students," he said.

"It benefits them greatly to see first-hand how the specialists work and gives them something to aspire to in their own careers."

Sixteen-year-old student Iyanna Allen, who took part in the demonstration, said: "They gave us a taste of what it is like to be a professional performer and helped us get a step closer to our dreams."

American producer Karl Sydow has been with the show since it first hit the stage in Sydney nine years ago. He said: "It has been such a phenomenal worldwide success and I am really looking forward to bringing the show to Wolverhampton."

Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage is at the Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton next year from September 23 to October 11.

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