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The First Step In The Dream To Dance At The Moulin Rouge In Paris

Australians make up about half the cast so it makes sense to hold auditions here.

The dance studio is a writhing mass of athleisurewear and perfectly primped pony tails.

Hundreds of women and a handful of men are auditioning to dance at the famed Moulin Rouge in Paris and the mirrored walls of the Sydney Dance Studio turn the scene into a kalaidescope of legs and fishnets and lycra.

Choreographer Erik Sorenson parts the crowd and they form an eager circle around him.

He loves it.

They watch closely as he effortlessly busts out a sultry, strutting hip hop routine.

These are the moves they'll instantly learn that will either set them apart and send them on a trajectory to the life of a dancer in Europe, or send them home empty handed.

"I remember feeling the nervous energy of everyone in the room," Gold Coast Moulin Rouge dancer Stacey Kenealy told The Huffington Post Australia.

"I remember the nerves hitting in the night before but once I got the choreography and and it was sitting well with my body, I felt quite confident."

She was chosen from a Brisbane audition to join the Moulin Rouge family and said she'll never forget the first time she danced on the stage, where audiences have been delighted and titillated for 127 years.

BTS on the #MoulinRouge - Singapore Tour. #BonAnniversaireSingapore #Fiftyyearscelebrationshow

A photo posted by Stacey Kenealy (@staceykenealy) on

"I do remember standing on stage and the overture started to play and I just closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm my mind I was like 'don't screw this up'."

Just your average Wednesday morning ☀️🗽 #MoulinRougedoesNY #StatueofLiberty #pressday

A photo posted by Stacey Kenealy (@staceykenealy) on

Now she travels with the show and has performed in New York, Singapore and of course, in Australia.

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