Major dance events, such as the upcoming World Dance Crew Championship (WDCC) 2025, are positioned as significant contributors to the local economy and cultural fabric. The WDCC 2025, scheduled from 13-19 April 2025 at Due Drop Events Centre in Auckland, is a biennial international competition set to host top dance crews from over 40 countries across five divisions, including hip-hop, club, and street dance.
Projected Economic Contribution:
- The event is anticipated to attract at least 2,000 international participants, supporters, and officials.
- This inaugural event is hoped to inject approximately $4 million into the New Zealand economy, with $1 million specifically benefiting the host city, Auckland.
- Funding for WDCC 2025 includes a joint investment of $750,000 from Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (TAU) and a matched investment from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)'s Major Events Fund, totalling $1.5 million. This significant public investment highlights a shared commitment to enhancing Auckland's arts and cultural scene, driving economic growth, and making the region more desirable for living and visiting.
- The involvement of renowned Kiwi choreographer Parris Goebel, with her history of high-profile projects like the Super Bowl and the Grammys, is expected to "skyrocket the event's international profile".
- Additionally, a New Zealand secondary school competition is planned to run alongside the WDCC, with future integration into the biennial rotation from 2026, aiming to further impact local youth and dance communities.
Criticisms and Concerns: Despite the stated benefits, public funding for such events can draw criticism. The Government's $750,000 contribution to the WDCC 2025 was met with pushback from critics like the Taxpayers’ Union, who argued it ignored the Government's own advice to councils to stop wasting money on "nice-to-haves". The professed economic benefits were dismissed by some as "wishful thinking," with the argument that taxing money from productive New Zealanders would outweigh any benefits from the competition, questioning why taxpayers should subsidise events if people are unwilling to spend their own money to watch. The underlying expectation from the Economic Development Minister is that investments from the Major Events Fund should generate economic growth and value for communities and businesses, necessitating an understanding of the economic impact analysis conducted.
Funding Models: Commercial Crews vs. Community-Focused Initiatives
The dance community encompasses diverse entities, from highly commercial crews to grassroots, community-driven initiatives, each with distinct funding models, objectives, and approaches to dance and culture.
Commercial Crews
Commercial dance crews, such as The Royal Family Dance Crew (RF) and, to some extent, Identity Dance Company (IDCO), operate with a strong focus on professional performance, international titles, and brand building, often leveraging commercial opportunities for financial gain.
Revenue Streams and Operations:
- Audition Fees: The Royal Family Dance Crew, for example, faced online criticism for charging a $200 audition fee, which sparked questions about the ethics behind such charges.
- Commercial Choreography: Parris Goebel, founder of The Royal Family, has choreographed for global music artists like Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, BoA, SF9, Monsta X, Rihanna (Savage X Fenty shows), J-Lo, and has choreographed for three Super Bowls. This work generates significant income and global exposure.
- International Competitions and Tours: RF has won multiple World Hip Hop Dance Championships and undertaken world tours. Identity Dance Company also has countless national and international titles and amasses millions of views online. Such success provides "worldwide opportunity and connections".
- Class Videos and Content: The commercial dance industry, including class videos on platforms like YouTube, has grown significantly, captivating audiences and potentially being monetised through advertisements. However, the flow of money and compensation for dancers in these videos is not always clear.
- Brand Sponsorships: While not explicitly detailed for RF, commercial dance artists can be hired by corporate brands as talent and event consultants.
Community-Focused Initiatives
Community-focused initiatives prioritise fostering a supportive environment, cultural exchange, education, and social well-being over commercial gain. They aim to provide accessible platforms for dancers and promote the deeper cultural significance of street dance.
Funding Models and Activities:
- Free Events and Workshops: Many initiatives offer free access to events, workshops, and jams.
- Projekt Team: Known for creating a "safe and positive environment" for connection and enjoyment, Project Feel Good, a collaboration with Do Good Feel Good, is explicitly free to participants, addressing a void for youth who cannot afford expensive classes. They run free events like Britomart Backyard Battles and Pick & Battle, focusing on bringing the dance community closer together and celebrating talent.
- Lighthouse Fams: Co-directed by Ken Vaega, they run "Krump Klubs," weekly dance programs providing free training and knowledge of krump to kids from the local area who may not have money for dance studios. They also host free community dance battle events like "The Beatdown," designed to connect community and creative art groups.
- Street Talk: This faith-based Hip-Hop conference offers free participation for educational workshops, live battles, and exhibitions, aiming to unite people through Hip Hop culture and positively impact the community. They also organise busking micro-events, sometimes for charity or natural disaster relief.
- En Beat Dance Academy: While offering classes, they also host jams where a DJ spins weekly. Rina Chae, co-founder of En Beat, is involved in Ladies of Hip Hop Aotearoa, a free festival celebrating women and girls in Hip Hop culture, featuring dance battles, workshops, and panel talks focusing on community, creativity, and cultural exchange.
- Donations and Community Support: Initiatives often rely on donations from community members, like the $100 donated to John Vaifale's "Loose Change" event by "King Homeboy".
- Government and Local Council Support: Similar to major events, some community initiatives also receive support. Ladies of Hip Hop Aotearoa 2025 is supported by Auckland Council, Auckland Live Presents, and En Beat Academy. Street Talk's "Art of War" battles were supported by Auckland Council and the city Centre targeted rate.
- Fundraising: Individual dancers or crews, particularly for international competitions like Red Bull Dance Your Style or European Buck Session (EBS), often rely on fundraising to afford travel and participation.
- Digital Archives and Resources: Websites like Session Queens serve as digital archives and resources for the community, promoting self-reflection and new ways of working with the community.
Objectives and Impact:
- Community Building & Connection: A primary goal is to foster "peace, love, unity, and heavy fun" by bringing people together, strengthening relationships, and creating safe spaces for expression without judgment.
- Education and Mentorship: These initiatives focus on authentic street dance education, teaching foundations, history, and life skills. Mentorship from "big homies" or "elders" is a key aspect, aiming to develop the next generation to be "better than I am".
- Cultural Preservation and Social Justice: They aim to preserve the true history and cultural significance of Hip Hop and street dance styles, often rooted in protest and expressing struggles against discrimination, marginalisation, and socio-economic trauma. They actively work to combat cultural appropriation by emphasizing proper crediting and financial support for originators.
- Accessibility and Inclusivity: Many programs specifically target youth from low-income areas, providing free access to dance opportunities that might otherwise be unavailable. They strive to be inclusive of all ages, genders, and skill levels.
Contrasting Funding Models and Philosophies
The fundamental difference lies in their core purpose and value proposition: commercial crews are primarily driven by profitability, brand expansion, and professional success, while community-focused initiatives prioritize cultural preservation, social impact, and accessible participation.
- Financial Basis: Commercial crews rely on income from performances, tours, choreography contracts, and potentially paid training/auditions. Community initiatives often depend on grants, donations, volunteer efforts, and free community engagement.
- Artistic Expression vs. Authenticity: Commercial dance, while visually stunning and captivating, is often distilled for entertainment value, potentially stripping away historical and cultural significance. Community initiatives, conversely, emphasize authentic foundations, improvisation, and the "socially and politically conscious" roots of Hip Hop as a means of expression and resistance.
- Talent Development: While both models develop talent, commercial crews often focus on creating "powerhouse dancers" for competitive performance, sometimes through intense, demanding regimens. Community initiatives, however, aim for holistic growth, fostering creativity, personal expression, and leadership within a supportive "family" structure, regardless of competitive outcome.
- Global Representation: Both aim for global presence. Commercial crews achieve this through high-profile media appearances and international tours. Community efforts contribute by developing dancers who compete and represent their culture on international battle stages, promoting New Zealand's unique "flavour" and "Polynesian energy".
The tension between these models highlights a broader debate within the dance world regarding the commercialisation and institutionalization of street dance, and the critical importance of ensuring that increased visibility does not lead to appropriation or the erosion of its cultural origins. The discussion around "cultural hijacking" underscores the need to acknowledge the origins and struggles of marginalized communities who created these art forms, and to ensure financial benefits flow back to them.