Teenager strikes gold for Olympics (From Swindon Advertiser)

Teenager strikes gold for Olympics

4:55pm Thursday 16th February 2012 in News

A TEENAGER will help entertain a TV audience of one billion people at the dazzling opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics.

Dancer Gemma Starling, 18, will take part in the spectacle after seeing off competition from hundreds of people at two auditions in the capital.

The New College student and her family, who run the Plough Inn in Highworth, were thrilled after receiving the news two weeks ago.

Gemma said: “It's amazing. I can't really describe it.

“My mum texted me the news while I was in college. I was in class so I just had a massive smile on my face.

“I'm really looking forward to it, though as it gets closer I'm going to get more nervous.

I just had a massive smile on my face.''

- Gemma Starling

“I'm just going to keep my fingers crossed that it all goes well.”

Gemma, who has taken ballet and other styles of dance from the age of four, and mum Tina had a scramble to apply after a regular at the pub suggested they do so.

They sent off the form just hours before the midnight deadline.

Gemma then impressed in two auditions in East London, where groups of 200 people at a time were put through their paces.

“It was quite relaxed,” she said.

“They didn't get you to set up anything special, they were more interested in seeing your personality.

“Both auditions were the same, there were a lot of different people and you got to have a bit of a laugh at the same time.”

Gemma, who is studying BTEC dance along with A-level English and psychology, will be performing for the first time on TV, in a broadcast that attracts an estimated global TV audience of one billion.

Mum Tina, 40, said: “When we had the email saying she had been selected we were jumping round all over the place and Facebook took a hitting too.

“Gemma was chuffed and her dance teacher was really pleased.

“She has danced since day dot, so this is a really big thing for her, and us as well. It’s really cool.”

She added: “Parents were not allowed in to the auditions so we had to stop at the gate.

“She just did it like a typical 18-year-old and came out and said, ‘that was cool’.

“A couple of weeks ago we got an email saying she had been selected and giving details of all the rehearsal dates.

“We’re going to be going up and down the motorway like a yo-yo, but it will be worth it to see her taking part.”

Gemma, who has also attended Purton and Dizzy Feet dance schools, will be a ceremonies volunteer performer.

She has not been told the exact details of her role, but will need to attend weekly rehearsals in the run-up.

The ceremony on July 27 is being put together by acclaimed film-maker Danny Boyle, and will include the Olympic anthem and the raising of the official flag for the 2012 Games.

The grand finale is the entrance of the flame into the stadium, which is passed through athletes to the final torchbearer, who will light the Olympic cauldron.