Dance crew get backing from music star

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Nelson’s finest young dance crew got some star power advice just days before jetting off to the Unite World Hip-Hop Championship in the Netherlands.

Chart topping boy band Titanium were in town on Saturday and with them was solo artist J Williams, himself a former Hip-Hop Unite attendee. The Car Company Origin Dance Crew were invited to perform alongside their idols at Nelson College over the weekend and got some key feedback from J Williams.

Origin has been together in its current format for the past year and features Bride-Rose Downing, Hayley Barnett, Jorgia Marsh, Hana Morris, Meila Wilkins, Lucy Everett and Ashley Belk. They are coached by Gemma Laing.

Lucy says performing alongside Titanium and J Williams was the “best thing” the group had ever done. “It was good because it was serious but we were able to have some fun as well. He [J Williams] actually asked us to perform our world’s set, which was amazing that he asked us.”

Meila, who is also the group’s choreographer, says they were relieved to be finally going to the world championship after weeks of rigorous training. “We had 16 hours of training last week between four days so once we leave I hope it’ll all be worth it,” she says. “We’re not going there to lose. We’re going to try our darn hardest to come back with a gold medal.”

Origin will be the only New Zealand crew in the junior category, which is for competitors aged between 13 and 17 years old.

They will also perform at Coca Cola Christmas in the Park and are through to the second round of New Zealand’s Got Talent.