Kiwi dance crew compete for $1m on Jennifer Lopez's new show

  • 11/01/2018
The Mini-Request dance crew
The Mini-Request Dance Crew made it into the under-18 section of the show. Photo credit: YouTube

A New Zealand dance crew is preparing to become world famous after making it onto Jennifer Lopez's new dance show.

World of Dance, screening in New Zealand on Bravo, features elite dancers from all over the world competing for a US$1 million prize.

Auckland dance crew Mini ReQuest, the smaller offspring of Kiwi elite dancers Royal Family, made it into the junior under-18 section.

The 13-strong crew have competed at various world hip hop championships, earning several titles over the past seven years.

Judging the dance crews will be Derek Hough (of Dancing with the Stars fame), Ne-Yo, Jenna Dewan Tatum and Lopez herself.

The 'Get Right' singer has historically had an affinity with Kiwi dancers. She kicked off the 2015 American Music Awards with dancers from the Royal Family, led by Parris Goebel.

Goebel told TV Guide that the new show was "like a dream come true".

"[It's] the perfect job for me in a sense," she said. "We created literally the perfect show for me to be a part of."

Goebel added that it offered the opportunity for dancers to create their own brand and "make that type of money".

"Nowhere in the world, as a dancer, can you make a million dollars," she said. "As a dancer, you do it because you love it.

"You don't get into dance thinking, 'I'm going to be famous, I'm going to be rich'. You get into dancing because you love to dance.

"And, yes, I remember having to have pizza, one slice of pizza every day, when I was a dancer. No breakfast, no lunch, dinner around 6ish that would hold me over to the next day. "That's how I lived once I moved out of my mum's house, you know, and I did that for a couple of years, before I got my first big job."

World of Dance airs on Bravo, beginning January 14.

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