Merrimack Well-Represented in Macy's Parade

While you are sitting at home watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV, a group of eight girls will be watching the crowds go by as they dance past them.

On Saturday, Marissa Beard, 17, Tess Martinez, 17, Alaina Soucy, 17, Abby Greenier, 16, Alli Weiner, 15, Alexandra DeFelice, 15, and Alyssa Bennett, 16, left Merrimack with their dance teacher, Jen DeFelice, owner of , headed for a week stay in the Big Apple.

The girls are eight of 600 dancers from around the country accepted into the Spirit of America Productions dance group to dance their way down the streets of New York City during the 85^th annual Thanksgiving parade.

“Six out of eight of the girls have never been to New York City before, so I'm really excited to take them,” Jen DeFelice told Merrimack Patch before leaving for New York.

The girls were sent a video of the dance routine they were to learn, and costumes that follow a clown theme this year. It was up to them to learn the routine and make sure they knew it completely before leaving for New York City. Once there, DeFelice said, they only dance with the entire production twice, during the parade and during a pre-parade exhibition.

The opportunity to dance with Spirit of America in the parade is available to competition dancers

The trip is a highly organized stay in the city with plenty of activities with the Spirit of America organization to keep them busy in the days leading up to the parade.

In addition to the main event, during the week the girls will visit the main attractions: The Empire State Building, Radio City Music Hall, the Statue of Liberty, etc. It's all part of the $1,700 package they pay for that also includes their hotel rooms and meals.

DeFelice also plans to bring them to take a class at the Broadway Dance Center in New York.

For the girls, getting to dance in the parade is a pretty big deal.

“My grandparents used to say they'd watch me on that show one morning,” Beard said of watching the parade with her family as a child. “And they will.”

They say they're looking forward to getting to see the city and “living in the moment” at the parade.

“Most of us haven't been to New York City before, so it's all pretty exciting,” Martinez said.

Beard said when they've told classmates at school what they'd be doing during break the reaction has been “Oh my God, that's so cool,” or “Wow, are you serious?”

“Being able to say you've danced in this parade will be cool,” Beard said.

DeFelice, a New York native called herself a “proud mama of eight” who is looking forward to being there to give the girls a good taste of the city.

“I'm living vicariously through them and honored to be there with them for this,” she said.

It's the kind of trip they will remember forever, she said, and something that will bond them in a special way.

DeFelice plans to get the best seat along the route, and will head to Herald Square to camp out starting at 3 a.m. on Thursday morning with her brother, son and a past dancer of hers.

Cross your fingers for good weather.