Top NZ dance crew make American prime time

ReQuest dance crew. Photo / Dani McDonald

Auckland's ReQuest Dance Crew, the current World Hip Hop Dance champions, have made America's Best Dance Crew - the dancing equivalent of American Idol.

"We're the only crew out of ten who aren't from America, it's unbelievable mate," said Brett Goebel, the group's manager and father of choreographer - Paris Goebel.

The prime-time television show, produced by American Idol's Randy Jackson and hosted by Dancing With The Stars runner-up Mario Lopez, will start its sixth season next month in Los Angeles, where the girls of ReQuest will be moving for up to two months, staying in a five-star hotel for the duration of their time in the competition.

"They have auditions in four U.S. cities, they said there is no guarantee, it's called America's Best Dance Crew, but if you fly up for an audition or send a tape we'll see how we go."

Goebel says they took a chance and paid to fly the eight girls up in February for top-secret auditions - a move that has clearly paid off.

America's Best Dance Crew features ten groups competing each week with various dance-related challenges, for a prize of US$100,000 (NZ$139,000).

ReQuest fly to Los Angeles late next week and beginning filming the show on April 3rd, with the world champions already preparing their first routine.

"We already know what our first song is for the first show, so they've been practising."