Four Surrey Hip Hop dance teams proved that they could break, pop and bust a move with the best in the world.
PraiseTEAM Dance Company from Surrey placed two teams on the podium in the recent 2013 World Hip Hop Championships on Aug. 11 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Brotherhood, a team made up of high school-aged dancers, won gold in the varsity category, while PraiseTEAM took silver in the megacrew division (15-plus dancers).
The two younger groups – Cookies N Cream and Dream Chasers – placed tenth and seventh respectively in the youth category.
“It was amazing,” said PraiseTEAM member Missy Reyes. “Very stressful, but fun.”
The teams, aged between eight and 25, began training on their strength and cardio in last September, along with performing routines at the Don Bosco Community Centre in North Surrey. But the training became more focused in June, with practices twice a week and four-hour sessions every day in July.
“The competition in Las Vegas is really intense,” said Reyes, “so we had to add more practices.”
In Las Vegas the teams competed against 2,500 other dancers from 42 different countries, with judging based on creativity, execution, and crowd reaction.
The dance company, especially the megacrew group, tries to offer a positive story or Christian message in their music selections and their routines.
In their final routine, the crew used the story of the Wizard of Oz to impart the message that if you use your mind, heart and courage, you can overcome evil and find your way home.
PraiseTEAM dance company began offering hip hop classes in 2000, and now offers more hip hop than anything else, and according to Reyes, the music and the groove are what young people appreciate most about the style of dance.
Over the summer, the school offers free classes for kids just wanting to experience dance, with instructors who volunteer their time.
As far as future goals Reyes says the group would love to go on tour and travel and to continue spreading their love of dance.
Check out www.praiseteamstudio.com for more information.