Jorja Milligan says dance is an opportunity to be yourself and express who you are through movement.
She is just one of 21 dancers who will be representing Nelson and New Zealand on the world stage next month at the Hip Hop Unite World Championship 2024.
The Nelson team, along with three coaches, will leave for Obidos, Portugal, in a matter of weeks, after months of training, preparation and fundraising.
Legacy Dance group Phalanx, meaning a body of troops in close array, qualified for their spot on the world stage at the NZ championship in May.
Since then, coach Gemma Laing says they have dedicated almost every waking moment to preparing for the challenge, and trying to raise the funds to get there.
The troupe have been trying to raise $120k, and are just over halfway there, with one epic casino night hoping to get them across the line.
“It’s giving 21 kids the chance to chase their dreams and represent the country and bring our culture and our hunger for dance to the world stage,” says team member Rosa Babington.
For many, it will be their one opportunity to represent New Zealand, for others it will be the catalyst that propels their career in dance.
Phalanx, along with 24 other dancers from around NZ, will join 19 countries and 1500 dancers, who are each vying for the title of the world’s best hip hop dancers at the championship which begins on 24 October.
The group, aged between 12 and 18, say it has taught them the value of perserverance and never giving up.
“As a team, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Gemma says.
“A lot of these kids have never left the country. They have been working hard for many years, they deserve this.”
Gemma says one of the highlights for many of the dancers will be the opportunity to perform the haka in front of a huge crowd as part of the Opening Ceremony.
She says, thanks to the support of local businesses and individuals, they are about halfway to their fundraising target.
Gemma, who will travel in her role as manager of Team NZ, says she felt extremely proud of the group as they qualified for worlds.
“Its pretty surreal to be honest, it definitely becomes about more than the competition, it becomes about what they’ve achieved over the whole journey. They’ve all worked hard and improved in so many areas.
“Nelson has a strong dance community, one that has represented NZ many times.”
The team are now turning their heads to next weekend’s Casino Cabaret Fundraiser.
Held at the Annesbrook Event Centre on Friday, 13 September, from 6.30pm, the evening offers a fun way to help the team get to their fundraising target.
Rotary will run casino-themed games using ‘funny money’, and there will be auctions and live entertainment from the dancers.
“We’ve tried to make it a night of entertainment, come along and have some fun with your work mates or a group of mates,” Gemma says.
Tickets are $50, which includes some ‘funny money’ for games, and can be purchased by emailing legacydancenz@gmail.com
