New Zealand’s Got Talent finalist reunites with family

13 November 2013

New Zealand’s Got Talent finalist reunites with family

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Sd-3daV_EM

(MAYO and dancers from Groovit Hip-Hop Dance School perform surprise welcome at Auckland International Airport)

Well-known New Zealand’s Got Talent finalist MAYO, otherwise known as Seantum Rapana, was reunited with his parents and five siblings yesterday at Auckland International Airport in the lead up to the grand final.

Due to the fundraising efforts of his friend and former employer, Beth Rhodes, and Best Foods Mayonnaise, MAYO’s family are now able to attend the final to support their son after having lived apart for nearly two years.

Both MAYO and his family were thrilled by the generosity of the general public and Best Foods Mayonnaise.

“I am so grateful to everyone who donated to the fundraiser,” says MAYO. “It’s so exciting to know that my family will be sitting in the audience to watch me perform on stage for the first time.”

Director of James Crisp Ltd and distributor of Best Foods Mayonnaise, Henry Hall, says that it was clear that MAYO has extraordinary talent and we just wanted to help reunite MAYO with his family so that they could be with him at the final.

“The link between MAYO and Best Foods Mayonnaise goes without saying,” says Hall. “We are just so pleased that we could help MAYO and his family on one of the most important day’s of his life.”

While the 21-year old is based in Pukekohe, MAYO’s family now live in Ayers Rock. Two years ago the Rapana family decided to return to Australia for a fresh start, but MAYO decided to remain in Auckland where he works as a part-time dance instructor and choreographer and volunteers as a youth worker at his local church.

Known for his ‘liquid’ moves, the affable hip-hop dancer is as smooth as his moniker. Dancing since he was 6 years old, the hip-hop dancer is self-taught and choreographs all his own dances. The former shy performer says that making it onto New Zealand’s Got Talent has really helped him to break out of his shell.

If he wins, MAYO plans to utilise the $100,000 prize money to travel to the US to learn from some of the hip-hop greats such as Keone Madrid and Ian Eastwood with hopes of performing with them one day.

Fundraising efforts through MAYO’s Facebook campaign are still underway to help cover the costs of MAYO’s costumes and travel from Pukekohe where he is based to the show’s studio in Albany.

MAYO will be competing against 12 other contestants at the final of New Zealand’s Got Talent on Sunday 1 December.

-ENDS-

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