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Gibraltarian dancer shares MTV stage with platinum-selling artist Jason Derulo

A Gibraltarian dancer performed alongside chart topping singer Jason Derulo during a live performance at the MTV European Music Awards in Bilbao on Sunday. Nicole Valverde was among the masked dancers who supported platinum-selling Derulo as he sang his new single ‘Goodbye’ together with renowned DJ David Guetta and American rapper Nicki Minaj, in show broadcast globally on MTV. Photo Ian West/PA Wire

A Gibraltarian dancer performed alongside chart topping singer Jason Derulo during a live performance at the MTV European Music Awards in Bilbao on Sunday.

Nicole Valverde was among the masked dancers who supported platinum-selling Derulo as he sang his new single ‘Goodbye’ together with renowned DJ David Guetta and American rapper Nicki Minaj, in show broadcast globally on MTV.

For the local dancer, it was her first professional job and a dream come true after three years studying in London.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” Miss Valverde told the Chronicle.

“I have been training in London for three years and I wouldn’t have expected this would be possible for my first show.”

Just two weeks ago she had flown to Barcelona to audition for the project, not knowing whether she would make the cut or what artist – if any – she would be dancing with.

She was one of around 300 women auditioning for the show and the process was gruelling, with the dancers finally whittled down to just 15 in a process that took two weeks.

Local dancer Nicole Valverde [standing fourth from the right] and her fellow dancers on stage with Jason Derulo at the MTV European Music Awards on Sunday. Ian West/PA Wire

Local dancer Nicole Valverde [standing fourth from the right] and her fellow dancers on stage with Jason Derulo at the MTV European Music Awards on Sunday. Ian West/PA Wire

The audition saw the dancers perform in rounds, with some hopefuls dropped in each phase until the final choices were put forward to the artists and choreographers.

Once successful she was flown to Bilbao where. Just a day before the live performance, she finally discovered which artist she was going to be dancing with.

The dancers learnt the choreography and rehearsed the performance in just 12 hours, with only 24 hours to prepare. Even the costumes were fitted the day before show.

The performance itself was unconventional because Derulo started singing opera to Andrea Bocelli’s ‘Time to Say Goodbye’.

Just 30 seconds into the operatic performance, he switched switched into an up-tempo rendition of his original song, swarmed by a masked dance troupe including Miss Valverde.

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