Best young hip-hop exponents in town

The next generation of New Zealand hip-hop dancers took centre stage in Queenstown yesterday afternoon, in the 2024 hip-hop Unite New Zealand Schools Championships.

A total of 270 dancers in 50 different crews, aged between 9-18, competed for national honours in mini crews (two or three), small crews (up to 12) and mega crews (up to 24).

The national championships were last held in the resort in 2019.

Event organiser Gemma Lowther, of Wellington, said crews, which came from Auckland, Rotorua, Whanganui, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill and Wanaka, were judged on artistic performance — such as creativity, use of the stage, and excitement for the crowd — and their hip-hop style.

For the latter, they had to showcase a variety of styles that used all their team members equally.

Ms Lowther said hip-hop was continuing to grow in popularity, particularly in the South, something she attributed largely to social media.

"I think we’ve got a bit more international exposure, with the likes of [internationally-renowned dancer and choreographer] Parris Goebel, and kids competing on that international level and I also think ... the rise of kids wanting to emulate the people they love on social media."

While the hip-hop championships finished last night, this weekend the Queenstown Events Centre will host the New Zealand Competitive Aerobics Federation nationals, in which another 270 athletes will compete in heats today and finals tomorrow.