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Meet Alexander Panetta: 12 year-old performer will dance with Justin Bieber in concert

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Meet Alexander Panetta: 12 year-old performer who will dance with Justin Bieber in concert
WATCH ABOVE: Justin Bieber is coming to the city for a concert on Wednesday and as Erica Vella reports, one 12-year-old boy has been chosen to dance on stage beside the Canadian pop star in front of a packed house – May 15, 2016

It’s nothing short of a dream come true for 12-year-old Alexander Panetta.

Justin Bieber is coming to the city for a concert on Wednesday and the Toronto boy has been chosen to dance on stage beside the Canadian pop star in front of a packed house.

Alexander has been a Bieber fan for a long time and said the Stratford native has been a role model.

“I sing and dance, and he sings and dances. It’s just his personality,” Alexander said.

In March, Bieber’s team announced a contest that would give ‘Beliebers’ a chance to dance on stage with the Bieber.

READ MORE: Justin Bieber chooses four young West Island dancers to join him on stage

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Interested applicants were asked to submit an audition tape with choreography taught by Bieber’s very own creative director and choreographer Nick Demoura through a YouTube video.

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“I was on Facebook and I saw the posting for the audition,” Christine Panetta, Alexander’s mother, said. “It was Monday morning [with] an hour before the cut off time. He was still sleeping, so I woke him up and said ‘do you want to have a chance to perform with Justin Bieber?’”

The 12-year-old learned the choreography in less than 30 minutes and his mother submitted the audition tape just moments before the contest deadline.

It wasn’t until two months later that they heard back.

READ MORE: Never Say Never: Montreal Beliebers could take the stage with pop icon

“I was in a grocery store. I went into my email – nothing was there,” Christine said. “[I] refreshed it and it popped up. I’m in a grocery store and I couldn’t even express my excitement,”

Alexander was in disbelief when he was told the news.

“I had like a tingling. I was excited and nervous at the same time because it happened so quickly,” Alexander said.

Dance teacher Natalie Nesterenko said she identified Alexander’s talent immediately, adding the contest win was well-deserved.

“He’s very young but he’s masterful on stage and he works incredibly hard. When he goes on stage his energy is infectious and he’s humble. That’s an important quality to have,” Nesterenko said.

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Bieber will be putting on two concerts in Toronto on Wednesday and Thursday that will feature of eight contest winners.

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