The party got started early for about 80 Dunedin dance students yesterday, as they strutted their stuff with two members of touring performer Pink’s dance troupe.
Tonight Khasan Brailsford and Reina Hidalgo will be stepping out in front of an estimated 37,000-strong crowd at Forsyth Barr Stadium as part of the ensemble backing multimillion-selling artist Pink.
Last night they were in much plainer surroundings, however, taking dance classes for eager students at the Queen’s High School gym.
Brailsford, who featured in the movie La La Land and has toured with Beyonce, Rihanna, Katy Perry and Jennifer Lopez, taught a jazz-funk class, while Hidalgo — who has performed alongside Missy Elliot, Nelly Furtado and Kylie Minogue — took the 80 students through some hip-hop moves.
Class organiser Xzenia Kutia, manager of Otago Dancers, said the masterclass was a rare chance for dance students from Otago and Southland to learn from top-tier international performers.
"I have travelled to Los Angeles myself to take a lot of classes, and I had actually taken a class with one of the dancers we have here today," she said."It’s a small dance world, so when I heard Pink was coming I knew she usually brought dancers with her, so I needed to find out who they were."
Upon discovering she had a connection, she issued an invitation to teach in Dunedin — which they accepted.
"They have been really lovely to work with," Ms Kutia said.
"In the dance world we all help each other out, and with them arriving last night and performing tomorrow, we were lucky they agreed to help out."
Pink arrived in the city last night, ahead of her one show in the city on her "The Beautiful Trauma World Tour".
She and 1-year-old son Jameson landed at Dunedin Airport on a private jet, and were then driven off. Australian group The Rubens will perform before Pink.
