A Tauranga hip-hop dance crew are heading to the US in a few months in a bid to capture the world title.
The Space Studios hip-hop varsity crew, named Outkasts, are fundraising to compete in the Hip Hop International world dance championships in Pheonix, Arizona, from July 31 to August 6.
The eight-strong team includes Connor Settle-Smith, 18, Jonah Stewart, 16, Austin Taylor, 17, Noah Ball, 16, Baylee Murray, 18, Maia Hemana, 17, Sienna Lagerberg, 15, and Ella Radovanovich, 17. They will be part of more than 3000 of the world’s best dancers from more than 55 countries who will compete for international bragging rights.
Space Studios director Cameron Smith said the dance crew qualified for the same competition last year and were returning this year with a new crew in a bid for the world title.
Smith said to qualify for this year’s world championships, the team had to place top five in their age division at the national competition in Auckland last month.