A 19-year-old Nanaimo dancer went to Vancouver on Halloween to prepare to perform at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Tanis Truckle is one of approximately 5,000 Canadian dancers selected to perform after auditions in the Lower Mainland in the spring.

To date, officials with the Vancouver Organizing Committee remains secretive and dancers do not yet know if they will strut their stuff in the opening or closing ceremonies, or exactly what routine they will do.

Truckle found out last month that her years of dance paid off when she received an email confirming her place in the performing lineup. She has showcased her mainly lyrical, jazz and hip-hop dance moves in many local competitions and her versatility likely helped her be one of about 10,000 people invited to audition. The two-week tryout period, where dancers were captured on video, featured group dances where individuals were scored on how fast they could pick up choreography.

Truckle, who wants to be a professional dancer, hopes the Olympic opportunity will open some doors in the dance world.

"The Olympics is a once-in-a-lifetime thing," said Truckle, who trains at the Tempo Dance Academy in Nanaimo.

"It was exciting (to be chosen). I just want to train as hard as I can and see where it takes me."

Truckle will meet with VANOC officials after arriving in Vancouver this week, where dancers are scheduled to train there at least twice each week until the games in February.

The large-scale celebratory ceremonies are slated for B.C. Place, with the opening ceremony on Feb. 12 and the wrap on Feb. 28.

Truckle said the performance could include any type of dance to more of a play format.