Minister congratulates world champion dancers

Hip hop dance crew ReQuest has shown once again that passion tempered by total commitment and discipline can take you to the top of the world, says Maori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples.

“You can’t do better than win gold at the World Championships in Las Vegas,” said Dr Sharples. “This is a fantastic achievement, and due recognition for the brilliance of their dance,” he said.

“ReQuest performed at the Maori Sports Awards last year, when they won the Varsity (under-19) grade at the worlds. They were absolutely awesome. Their routine was faultless.

“This year they’ve stepped up to the top grade and taken the world title. It’s an amazing achievement, in competition with 45 crews from over 25 countries.

“What’s even more incredible is that all three New Zealand crews were among the eight finalists, with Sweet & Sour placing 4th, and Dziah 2.0 taking 5th place in the semis.

“On top of that, in the Junior division BubbleGum got 4th in the semis, and Sorority was 5th in the Varsity division, to get into their finals too.

“ReQuest represents the best of Kiwi cultures, including Samoan, Tongan, Rarotongan, Chinese, Japanese and European dancers as well as Maori and Pakeha.

“When it came to showcasing their national identity, and then celebrating victory, of course our teams did the haka, which is such an appropriate thing, and apparently the crowd just went off!” said Dr Sharples.

ENDS

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