Fort Simpson (Mar 14/03) - Move over, Britney Spears.

Students across the Deh Cho have been getting lessons in song and dance from Jack and Jan Cooper over the past month.

The brothers, along with professional dancer and choreographer Andrea Rabinovitch, made a five-day stop in Fort Simpson last week. They assembled students from Grades 4-6 and from the junior and senior high school to teach them some hip-hop moves. There was some voice coaching as well.

"There seems to be no music programs here in the schools, which is too bad because the kids want to learn this. They're coming out in droves," said Jan Cooper, who has his own studios and has worked with Patricia Conroy, Loverboy, Matthew Good, Lisa Brokop and Whitesnake among other artists.

As the younger students belted out We are the World, Jan made his way around the Bompas school gym to give encouragement.

"Come on you guys, open those mouths," he cajoled.

His brother Jack, a former teacher who championed musical theatre in Hay River for decades, said some of the young vocalists really caught his ear.

"There's a number of them who have some damn good voices," said Jack. "Talent is everywhere. If Shania Twain can come out of Timmins ..."

When the attention shifted to dance, Rabinovitch, executive director of Dance Alberta, was front and centre. The first number was more of a show tune, Zippity Doo Dah. Then they grooved to Lauryn Hill's Everything is Everything.

"There are some very, very talented kids here," Rabinovitch said.

The students drew a hearty round of applause after strutting their stuff for the crowd at the Beavertail Jamboree opening ceremonies. Coleen Canney, who is in Grade 5, said she and her peers benefitted from the numerous rehearsals.

"It was kind of difficult at first, but once you do it over and over, it's easy," she said.

Jack Cooper said he's often witnessed the sense of pride and accomplishment that accompanies a performance.

"We've seen kids, even in a short time, start to believe in themselves through music," he said.