Brother and sister hip-hop to overseas dance floors

Ko Whacapaina Te Maunga.

Ko iwite te marae.

Ko Ngāti Kahungunu te iwi.

Ko Potawa Te Whanau.

Brothers Maia and Joseph Bassett received funding to attend the World Supremacy Hip Hop Battlegrounds in Sydney, Australia, late last year.

Maia and Joseph are members of the Respect Dance Academy and have been active respect dancers for many years.

Maia began ballet lessons when she was 4 years old and hip-hop dancing when she was 8 years old and has been doing so for the past 10 years. Joe started dancing when he was eight years old and still loves to dance.

Dancing has become a way of life for both Maia and Joe. My experience at home and abroad has helped me grow in the dance industry, build confidence in myself and my team, and create opportunities to travel, shop, and experience other cool things.

“This special trip abroad was a great opportunity for both of us,” said Maia, 18.

“For many of our dance members, it was their first time to go to Australia, and for some it was their first time on a plane, so there were a lot of people in our team who were both nervous and excited. there was.”

Their routine for the competition included early morning training for various dance groups, some practicing individual, duo or team moves.

The place they stayed in had the best covered patio and could train in any weather conditions, never getting wet or too hot. At just under two hours long, they kept the team focused on their dance routine.

Maia and her brothers did a lot of shopping and visited malls, theme parks, Sydney Opera House, Sydney Zoo and many other interesting places. Sometimes, while out and about, the crew would perform random dance routines, much like a flash mob.

The night before the competition, Battleground organizers held an opening night social for all the dance groups to come together to get to know each other and take the tension off.

The day of the World Supremacy Battlegrounds dance competition was an amazing experience. Joseph performed solo and crew for Young Guns, while Maia performed solo and adult crew for Cell Division. It was tough competition and they didn’t make it into the top three, but they knew they were facing tough competition that would be difficult to win. I did my best and was happy with the result.

“My duo won a diamond award for best dance,” Maia said. “I’m really happy about it.”

Maia is now a tutor at Respect Academy and has been teaching crews for many years while dancing. She is focused on heading to America this year to enhance her dance skills and her knowledge.

Joe has been an assistant tutor in the past and will lead a crew this year. It’s a pretty tough gig for a teenager, but he’s made up his mind. Well done Maia and Joe, keep up the great work.