MOBILE, Alabama -- Since controversy erupted over the Prancing Elites performing in the Semmes Christmas Parade and their subsequent elimination from the MoonPie Over Mobile New Year's Eve parade, support has been pouring in from all over the world.

The all-male dance group from Mobile started a Kickstarter campaign on Dec. 1, before they had planned to be in the Semmes parade. They asked for funds to secure a safe practice space and for new costumes and shoes.

As of midday Thursday, the Kickstarter campaign --

an online campaign site that lets supporters pledge funds for creative projects --

has raised in excess of $15,000, more than 100 percent of their goal amount, with nearly 500 backers.

On the day of the Semmes parade, they had raised only $500. People all over the world are sharing the campaign via social media, and the Prancing Elites have received personal emails from donors in Sweden, Germany and Austria.

"I'm very happy and feel very overwhelmed," said group member Adrian Clemons, 23. "I feel that we can now take that extra step to become better at what we've been doing."

Kentrell Collins, 26, the captain of the team, said he is excited that they can now rent practice space. "Now that we can get a studio, we can practice things that we normally couldn't practice in a parking lot, like stage performances."

In addition, invitations have been arriving steadily for them to appear all over the country. Collins said parade organizers in Boston, Milwaukee and Chicago have written to them.

In the South, The Pink Box Burlesque in Tuscaloosa has asked for the dancers to join them on stage next season for performances in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. The Big Easy Roller Girls in New Orleans have asked them to appear at halftime at a roller derby match.

Peter Hough of Biloxi is leading a different type of support effort for the Prancing Elites. Hough started a Change.org campaign on their behalf on Christmas Day and on Thursday afternoon, there were nearly 500 supporters, many from Alabama.

The petition, which seeks to have the group re-invited to dance in the Dec. 31 parade in Mobile, reads:

Mobile, Alabama New Year's Eve Parade MoonPie Parade: Allow the group. The Prancing Elites, back into the New Year's Eve Parade.

"We're all human beings and should get the same rights. People need to stop being closed-minded and unaccepting of others," said Hough.

Hough, who lived in Brewton in Escambia County for 10 years, said he watched videos online from the Semmes parade and saw female cheerleaders who also wore revealing costumes and noted that there was no discussion about them.

A majority of AL.com readers participating in an unscientific poll also voiced support for the all-male dance group participating the Mobile's New Year's Eve parade. With 6,715 votes cast by 4:15 p.m. Thursday, 58 percent of those participating said the Prancing Elites should be able to participate; just over 41 percent said they should not.

The Prancing Elites have also been asked to be on the Good Day Sacramento television broadcast via Skype this week. Cal State University in Chico and Hayward, Calif., have extended invitations for them to perform as well.

On Thursday,