Champion Hip-Hop crew to perform in Hawke’s Bay

Waiata Maori Awards
Press Release, September 3, 2010

World Champion Hip-Hop crew to perform in Hawke’s Bay

World Champion hip-hop crew ReQuest will take its unique style of dance to Hawke’s Bay next week, where its dancers will perform at an event supporting the National Waiata Maori Awards.

The Auckland-based group will be the guest performer at the National Maori Music Awards Hip Hop Dance Competition and will also help judge the competing dancers and crews.

The all-girl ReQuest crew this year won the varsity category of the world championships in Las Vegas and the World Supremacy Battlegrounds competition in Australia.

One of the group’s performers and its choreographer Parris Goebel will join well-known hip-hop dancer Justin Haiu on the judging panel at the competition, which will be held at the Hawke’s Bay Opera House in Hastings on Sunday, September 12.

Parris will replace Auckland’s Dziah Dance Company director Billie Paea, who has recently moved to Australia and is unable to help judge the competition.

Parris, 18, says she and the rest of the ReQuest crew are looking forward to their first performance in the Bay.

And there are a few key areas she’ll be looking for when she sits down to judge the competitors with Justin.

“I’ll be looking for that x-factor, velocity and timing but most of all I’ll be looking at how people are enjoying themselves, that’s the most important,” she said.

Parris is coming to Hawke’s Bay equipped with advice for competitors who are likely to want to know the secret behind ReQuest’s success.

“My biggest piece of advice would be to keep learning and keep striving to be the best dancer you can be.

“Take every opportunity you can to perform, whether it be at a big event or a small one, for the experience, so you can be seen and show the work you’ve been putting into it,” she said.
Waiata Maori Awards Hip-Hop Dance Competition event organiser Ellison Huata said securing ReQuest is a big coup for the event.

“I had seen them perform last year and had wanted to book them for this event. It’s important to have them perform at our competition because it will show people you can have a career in the arts.

“Dance has brought them success internationally, they are the world champions now. They were happy to perform for us and having Parris on the judging panel is a bonus,” she said.

Waiata Maori Awards 2010

• The awards will include the Maori Music Expo, September 9 and 10, where modern and traditional musicians and composers will offer their advice and experience in a series of workshops and forums.

• A fashion show will be held on the evening of September 9, mixing live music with work from prominent Hawke’s Bay designers.

• The awards ceremony will be held on the evening of September 10, broadcast by Radio Kahungunu through the iwi station network and by Maori Television.

• A hip-hop dance competition will be held on September 12, starting at 4pm. Judges will include Justin Haiu and Parris Goebel. The dance competition awards will be held at the conclusion of the event.

TICKETS: www.ticketdirect.co.nz
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