Hip Op-eration Crew all kitted out and heading to Las Vegas!

Media Release
29th July 2013

The Hip Op-eration Crew all kitted out and heading to Las Vegas!

On Wednesday 31st July and Saturday 3rd August, 27 members of The Hip Op-eration Crew: The World’s Oldest Hip Hop Dance Group will be leaving Auckland for Las Vegas where they have been invited to do a tribute performance at the World Hip Hop Championships.

The 27 strong crew travelling to Las Vegas and performing on 9th August at the biggest hip hop event in the world, are aged between 66 and 94 years old and are
all neighbours from Waiheke Island; Auckland.

By performing at the World Hip Hop Championships, the Crew hopes to inspire people to pursue their dreams no matter what their age or limitations and promote the youthful spirit and energy of New Zealand and Waiheke Island to the rest of the world.

Deborah Kelland and Sue Nelson, both Waiheke Islanders and owners of Strauss clothing, recently surprised the Crew with a gift of over 80 T-shirts branded with the dance troupe’s name.

“Deborah and Sue from Strauss clothing suddenly arrived at our rehearsal at the Morra Hall with a car load of beautiful T-shirts with our name on them. It was like Christmas; we couldn’t believe their generosity. The Strauss T-shirts are high quality cotton and super soft – so will be perfect for dancing in and wearing in the hot weather in Las Vegas. Deborah, the owner and Creative Director of Strauss designed the T-shirts herself which meant a lot to us. Strauss has also given us some T-shirts to give away as gifts while we are in the USA,” says Billie Jordan, Manager of The Hip Op-eration Crew.

“We have been on the hunt for someone to help us out with our clothing, so to have a high quality brand like Strauss, that is also owned by Waiheke Islanders, reach out to us was a dream come true. Strauss clothing was created to express life and have fun; which is exactly what The Hip Op-eration Crew was created for too. So it’s the perfect partnership. We will wear their T-shirts proudly wherever we go,” says Jordan.

Strauss T-shirts can be purchased through their website at: www.strauss.org.nz. The Hip Op-eration Crew branded T-shirts will be available for purchase from their website soon.

Over the past couple of months The Hip Op-eration have received a lot of international media attention. They have featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, been guests on American and Australian television and radio, and were the subject of a feature programme on the BBC World Service broadcast to over 60 million people around the world. They are also being followed by a feature documentary film crew who are doing a film about the Crew due for international cinematic release in April/May 2014.

The Hip Op-eration Crew members performing in Las Vegas include five people in their nineties, seven people in their eighties, three people who use walking sticks, many people who are deaf, and one member who is legally blind. The accumulative age is over 2,000 years old and there are five men and 22 women in the Crew.

The four Crew members who will be on the stage at the Opening Flag Ceremony on 6th August are the four oldest members present in Las Vegas: Quick Silver (94), Kara Bang Bang (93), Terri 2 Cents (93) and Sergeant Sel (92).

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