London's calling for 27 young Oxford dancers who are set to perform in front of thousands of people at one of the country's most prestigious entertainment venues.

A team of street dancers from KC's School of Dance have been training at the Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre since January to prepare for a performance at the London Palladium later this month.

The dancers, aged from seven to 24, will be performing in front of more than 2,000 people at the Streets Ahead! event - including Anthony McPartlin, part of television double act Ant and Dec, and Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman.

The school will put on a seven minute performance of body popping and break dancing at the venue on Sunday, April 27, performing to music by Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent and Beenie Man.

KC's school, run by local dancer Kelly Chandler, has been hand-picked to perform at the venue after they wowed the crowd at last year's event.

The group will include 10 dancers who are performing there for the first time as well as four boys which Ms Chandler said is particularly pleasing.

She said: "The preparations are going so well - but the youngest child is only seven so it's quite nerve-wracking for many of the children.

"A lot of dance schools are desperate to perform at this event, and our dancers were chosen because they were so successful at the event last year.

"The kids just love the dancing and it's a massive opportunity for them to show how talented they are.

"It's lovely to have boys in the group as well because there isn't that stigma attached to guys dancing anymore."

The school has built up a reputation as one of the best street dancing schools in the country after two of its dancers finished in the top 50 at the World Hip Hop Dancing Championship in Bremen, Germany, last October.

Levon De Silva, 13, of Coriander Way, Greater Leys said: "It's a cool thing for boys to be doing nowadays.

"I like doing the roboting and bodypopping and locking.

"The performance is coming together and I think it will be really cool."

Courtenay Harris, nine, from Thame, said: "I'm really excited to be performing in front of so many people.

"I went along last year to watch and loved it so I wanted to take part this time."

Iesha Bryan, corrten, from Straw- berry Path, Black- bird Leys, who will be watched by 20 members of her family at the event, said: "It's my first time performing in front of so many people but I can't wait.

"My parents are very proud."