Imagine getting a chance to dance with a K-pop star onstage in front of a crowd of thousands.

That came true for 12 students at South Korean singer IU’s concerts on April 20 and 21 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

The girls from local performing arts studio Maddspace, which has two branches here, are aged eight to 14. They include eight Singaporeans, as well as a Malaysian, an Indonesian, a Japanese and a Vietnamese.

Halfway through the upbeat opening number Holssi, the children came onstage and joined IU for the second chorus. They got to groove with her for about 30 seconds, as she delivered the lines: “You say hoo, I may fly/you say hoo, then I fly.”

The oldest participant, 14-year-old Treia Tan, who attends St Margaret’s School (Secondary), told The Straits Times: “When we were onstage, there was an instance when IU made eye contact with me. I had to hold in my excitement.”

On the other hand, Kate Tay, 11, who attends Methodist Girls’ School (Primary), was nervous as she thought she would mess up the dance.

“But the smile on IU’s face made me feel super calm,” she said.

Another 11-year-old, Malaysian Katelynn Foo, who goes to North London Collegiate School (Singapore), said: “Being a K-pop star is one of my biggest dreams, and being on such a big stage inspires me to work harder. I will now take my singing and dance lessons more seriously.”