A CELEBRATED Basildon dance troupe claim they’ve been snubbed by the council.

Members of Kayzar Dance Studios, based in Market Pavement, had hoped to perform at Basildon Council’s Celebration of Youth awards at the Towngate Theatre on November 7.

They applied to take part for free, but were told applications had closed, despite the founder of the troop contacting the council three months in advance and expressing an interest in taking part.

The popular dance troop has picked up major international awards and has performed at the Basildon & Pitsea Carnival, the Wickford Carnival and Basildon’s Together Against Crime event.

Nader Kayzar Boulila, 32, who runs the group, said: “We were voted best UK Dance School in the World Championships this year. I didn’t think it was too much to ask to perform, free of charge at the Youth Celebration Awards. I believed approaching the council three months in advance would be enough time to secure a place. We responded immediately to the e-mail and didn’t receive a reply until September 18, which said we had missed the deadline.”

The troupe saw dancers involved in the Olympic opening ceremony and even put on a private performance for an audience in America, which included US President Barack Obama.

A Basildon Council spokesman said: “We sent out e-mails to talent acts on July 23, inviting them to send a video of themselves for a chance to perform at youth celebration event in November. Several of the talent acts responded within days, but Kayzar did not respond until 31 August. The cut-off date of August 15 was not stated in the e-mail for which we apologise.

“Due to the planning, if we let Kayzar perform now it would mean replacing another act. We hope Kayzar can perform at the awards in 2013.”