I. PEOPLE
Pioneering Figures (1980s-1990s)
• Kosmo Faalogo (K.O.S.-163) - Introduced popping to Wellington, formed Chain Reaction and Twilite Thrillz
• Petelo - Early influential figure
• Joe Moana - Featured in "Poi E" music video, first hip hop/Māori fusion
• Dean Hapeta (Te Kupu) - Co-founder Upper Hutt Posse
• DLT (Darryl Thomson) - DJ for Upper Hutt Posse, launched "True Skool Hip Hop Show"
• Phillip Fuemana - Co-founder OMC, founded Urban Pacifika Records
• Pauly Fuemana - Co-founder OMC, "How Bizarre" artist
• Mark Scott & Peter Black - Authors of "Street Action Aotearoa" (1985)
Contemporary Leaders & World Champions
• Taupuhi Toki (Bboy Papa Smurf) - 20+ year veteran, founded Instance Movement, co-director NZ Street Talk
• Dianamite (Diana Hu) - Co-founder Street Talk, Auckland Popping Community contact
• Mika Haka - Lifestyle liberationist, Mika Haka Foundation, Torotoro creator
• Parris Goebel - World-renowned choreographer, Palace Dance Studio founder, "Polyswagg" creator
• Joshua Cesan - IDCO founder and director
• John 'Happy Feet' Vaifale - Red Bull Dance Your Style 2023 champion, Projekt Team member
• Josh Mitikulena - Projekt Team founder (2014)
• Kat Walker - Masters in Dance, two-time 'Long Live the Queen' champion
• Zed Zufable (Mr Zee) - En Beat Dance Academy co-founder
Breaking Specialists
• B-Boy Leerok (Jared Graham) - Common Ground Crew, 2010 world champion
• Aron 'Akorn' Mahuika - Common Ground Crew member
• Davy 'Grub-D' McCavitt - Common Ground Crew, 2010 world champion
• Differ, Ronnie, Taisuke - Red Bull BC One Asia Pacific Qualifier competitors
• Roxrite - Renowned breaker, Red Bull BC One Auckland Cypher 2013
• Shorty Force - Korean champion, Red Bull BC One Auckland winner
Krump Community
• Ken Vaega (Lightsaber/Jr Street Beast) - First NZ Krump World Champion (2018), Lighthouse founder
• Ennaolla Paea-Vaega (Watchmin) - Watchmin World founder, LH Combine co-founder
• Joash Fahitua - First Krump competition host in NZ, Alpha Omega Fitness owner
• Byrin Mita - XIII fam founder, XIII WRLD collective
• Boy K.O., Lady K.O., Lil Assault, Lil Greedy, Nelson, Doofy, Gruff, Clay
• Lady Hora, Little Homie, Jordan (JCB)
Waacking & Vogue Scene
• Rina Chae - "Queen of K-Pop," Street Candee founder, En Beat Dance Academy
• Jaycee Tanuvasa - House of Iman founding Mother, ballroom vogue pioneer
• Gabriel Halatoa - Auckland Vogue House Coven-Carangi founding member
• Haley Waltrestekahika - Prowl Productions founder, whacking specialist
• FSWAG (Sharon's daughter), Moang, Sharon, Mei - Vogue community figures
• Heidi Chen - Versatile creative, K-Pop Academy Level Up choreographer
Other Dance Specialists
• Lawrence Liew - Auckland popping scene builder, real estate salesperson
• Mase Boog - Wellington popping/boogaloo specialist
• Mele Ta'e'iloa - Projekt Team director, locking advocate
• Jazmine Cox - House Dance NZ founder
• Gandalf Archer Mills - Les Mills BODYJAM program director
Music Artists & Cultural Figures
• Sisters Underground - "In the Neighbourhood" artists
• Che Fu, King Kapisi, Savage - Hip hop artists
• Moana and the Moahunters - Māori hip hop group
• Nesian Mystik - Popular group
• DJ Kool Herc - Hip hop founder (USA)
• Afrika Bambaataa - Hip hop pioneer (USA)
• James Brown - Funk influence
• DJ Andy Vann - Voodoo Rhyme Syndicate founder
II. CREWS & ORGANIZATIONS
Major Dance Crews
• The Royal Family - Parris Goebel's crew, 3x consecutive World Champions (2011-2013)
• Identity Dance Company (IDCO) - Joshua Cesan's crew, multiple world medals
• Common Ground Crew - Christchurch breaking crew, 3x world champions
• Instance Movement (ISM) - Taupuhi Toki's breaking crew (1999)
• Projekt Team - NZ's biggest all-style street dance collective
• Street Candee/Candee Collective - Rina Chae's multidisciplinary crew
• Triple8funk - Crew that competed at World Hip Hop Championships (2007)
• Hopskotch - Josh Mitikulena's crew (2008)
• Saints Dance Crew/Saints Up Performing Arts - Started 2006, world champions 2015
• The Jaackers - NZ's first waacking company
• YungID - IDCO's junior team, 2025 World Dance Crew Championship winners
• The Bradas - IDCO-affiliated, adult division winners 2015-2016
• Swagganauts, I-Descendant - IDCO crews, 2022 world competitors
Historical Crews (1980s-Early 2000s)
• Chain Reaction, Twilite Thrillz - Early Wellington crews (1980s)
• Bronx Mothers, Freakazoids, Southside Home Boys - Early informal crews
• Coloured Crew Lockers - Mika Haka's 1980s crew
• Torotoro - Māori/Polynesian fusion company (2000s)
• Upper Hutt Posse - Hip hop/reggae group (1985)
• Voodoo Rhyme Syndicate - 1980s collective including Sisters Underground
• Chain Gang - Early 1990s house music artists
• DZIAH (later Prestige) - Early 2000s competitive crew
• ReQuest - Parris Goebel's first group (age 15)
• Jireh - Evolved from Ngaru Puawai (2001)
• Step Kings - Lower Hutt breaking crew
Specialized Communities
• Lighthouse fam - Ken Vaega's Krump family
• Watchmin World - Ennaolla's Krump fam
• LH Combine - Combined Lighthouse and Watchmin World
• XIII fam/XIII WRLD - Byrin Mita's collective
• Watch:MIN crew - All-women Krump crew (2017)
• Krump Club of Ōtara - Community safe space
• IHOW NZ (Imperial House of Waackers) - NZ waacking chapter
• House of Iman - Jaycee Tanuvasa's vogue house (2019)
• House of Coven - Vogue community
• Auckland Popping Community (APC) - Dianamite's network
Studios & Educational Organizations
• The Palace Dance Studio - Parris Goebel family studio (2009)
• En Beat Dance Academy - Rina Chae's studio (2020)
• The Dance Studio - Jacqui Cesan's Auckland studio
• Step Out Dance Company - Wellington dance school
• Lighthouse Famz - Ennaolla's South Auckland creative base
• Mika Haka Foundation - Youth development charity
• NZ Street Talk - Hip hop education organization
• Urban Pacifika Records - Phillip Fuemana's label (1999)
III. EVENTS & COMPETITIONS
International Championships
• World Hip Hop Dance Championships (HHI) - "Olympics of dance," Las Vegas
• Hip Hop International 3-on-3 B-Boy World Battles - 2010 Common Ground victory
• Battle of the Year - World's biggest breakdance tournament
• Oceania Breaking Championships - Pacific qualifiers, 2023 Olympic qualifier
• Krump World Championships - Ken Vaega's 2018 victory
• World Dance Crew Championship - 2025 YungID victory
• World of Dance - International competition platform
National New Zealand Events
• Red Bull Dance Your Style - All-styles competition (debuted 2023)
• Red Bull BC One Auckland Cypher - 2013 breaking event
• Raw Stylez - National event, Instance Movement won first (1999)
• Boppalympics - Mt Smart Stadium 1984, modern version ongoing
• Shazam Bop Competition - Televised 1985 national competition
• Street Talk "Pop, Lock & Break it" battles - Faith meets hip hop events
• Street Talk Summit - Hip hop workshops with Christian faith
• National Street Dance Championships - Wellington's The Company NZ won 2013
Community & Cultural Events
• Tempo Dance Festival - Annual professional showcase with public workshops
• Ko Au Mini Dance Festival - Projekt Team event
• TECHnique - Projekt Team showcase
• Projekt Feel Good - Community hip hop gathering
• Stand Up Stand Out (SUSO) - Auckland Council youth competition
• YouDance - Youth dance festival
• The Blank Kanvas NZ - Dance event
• Short + Sweet Dance Festival - Performance showcase
Specialized Style Events
• "Waack It Out" & "Whats Yo Style" - Jaydess Nand's battle events
• "Long Live the Queen" - All-style battles (Kat Walker 2x champion)
• "Land of the Kings" - Krump competition with Auckland prelims
• "HEART OF KRUMP" series - NZ Krump battles
• C.L. Love, WAC - Haley Waltrestekahika's queer waacking show
• "Pride Wairau Vogue Leather and Lace Ball" - Ballroom culture event
• Fwag ball - Significant vogue community event
IV. DANCE STYLES & TECHNIQUES
Core Street Dance Styles
• Breaking (B-boying/B-girling) - Up-rocks, footwork, power moves, freezes
• Popping - Muscle contractions, funk style, late 1960s LA origins
• Locking - Fast movements with freezes, late 1960s LA
• Hip Hop - Bounces, Rock, Skate, Roll movements
• Krumping - Free, expressive, energetic, body isolation
• House Dance - Footwork, body isolations, Chicago 1980s origins
• Waacking - Arm movements, posing, LGBTQ+ club origins
• Vogue - Ballroom culture, runway poses, underground scene
Commercial & Fusion Styles
• K-Pop - Korean pop choreography, hip hop/jazz/contemporary blend
• "Polyswagg" - Parris Goebel's signature fusion style
• Urban Pasifika - Hip hop beats with acoustic instruments
• Contemporary/Jazz - Modern dance fusion elements
• Robotic/Boogaloo - Mechanical movement styles
Cultural Fusion Elements
• Kapahaka integration - Traditional Māori performance elements
• Samoan cultural elements - Pacific Islander movement vocabulary
• "Bopping" - Samoan pronunciation adaptation of popping
V. HISTORICAL TIMELINE & MILESTONES
1960s-1970s Global Origins
• Late 1960s - Outlaw gang "war dances" lay foundation for b-boying
• Early 1970s - B-boying originates in the Bronx, DJ Kool Herc names hip hop
• 1970s - Waacking emerges from LA LGBTQ+ clubs
• Late 1970s-Early 1980s - House dance develops in Chicago/New York
1980s New Zealand Arrival
• 1961 - The Twist arrives, shifts toward individual dance styles
• Early 1980s - First hip hop wave via American media and Samoan connections
• 1984 - Joe Moana in "Poi E" video, first hip hop/Māori fusion
• 1985 - Shazam Bop Competition televised nationally
• 1985 - "Street Action Aotearoa" book published
• 1985 - Upper Hutt Posse formed
• 1986 - First MC competition held in Taita
• 1988 - "E Tu" released, first bilingual rap song
1990s Cultural Maturation
• Early 1990s - House music becomes central to nightlife
• 1994 - "In the Neighbourhood" first Urban Pasifika top ten
• 1995 - OMC's "How Bizarre" achieves global success
• 1999 - Urban Pacifika Records founded
2000s Global Recognition
• Early 2000s - Krump develops in South LA
• 2001 - Jireh crew formed
• 2004 - Footsouljahs NZ Hip Hop event
• 2005 - Krump emerges in NZ, YouTube created
• 2005 - Kat joins street dance community
• 2007 - Triple8funk competes at World Hip Hop Championships
• 2008 - Hopskotch crew started
• 2009 - Palace Dance Studio founded
2010s International Dominance
• 2010 - Common Ground wins HHI 3-on-3 in Las Vegas
• 2011-2013 - Royal Family wins World Championships 3x consecutively
• 2013 - Red Bull BC One Auckland Cypher, voguing ball advertised
• 2014 - Hip Hop-eration documentary opens, IDCO wins HHI silver
• 2015 - Street Talk co-founded by Taupuhi and Dianamite
• 2016 - Monaco Street Dance NZ event with 900+ performers
• 2018 - Ken Vaega wins Krump World Championships
2020s Contemporary Evolution
• 2020 - En Beat Dance Academy founded
• 2023 - Red Bull Dance Your Style debuts in NZ
• 2025 - IDCO crews achieve multiple world championship placements
VI. CULTURAL THEMES & MOVEMENTS
Identity & Expression
• Māori cultural integration with hip hop
• Pacific Islander heritage expression
• Queer identity through vogue and waacking
• Asian-New Zealand identity navigation
• Cultural fusion and hybridization
Community Development
• Youth empowerment and leadership development
• At-risk youth transformation programs
• Safe spaces for marginalized communities
• Family-like crew bonds (whānau concept)
• Mentorship and knowledge transfer
Social Impact
• Academic research on street dance benefits
• Mental health and wellbeing through movement
• Community building across ethnic lines
• Non-violent conflict resolution
• Educational integration programs
Artistic Innovation
• Unique New Zealand style development
• Global influence on hip hop culture
• Commercial success with cultural authenticity
• Cross-cultural collaboration
• Technology integration (YouTube, social media)
VII. CHALLENGES & ISSUES
Economic Barriers
• Limited funding for training and competitions
• Self-funded international travel
• Difficulty earning sustainable income
• Lack of professional pathways
• Resource inequality compared to other countries
Recognition & Representation
• Underground status vs. mainstream acceptance
• Olympic representation debates
• Media representation accuracy
• Cultural appropriation concerns
• Gender representation in breaking
Infrastructure Needs
• Training facility access
• Competition venue limitations
• Professional development opportunities
• Coaching and mentorship programs
• Technology and equipment access
VIII. MEDIA & PUBLICATIONS
Documentaries & Films
• Mika Haka Kids - Documentary about Torotoro company
• The Piano - Oscar-winning film featuring Mika Haka
Academic Works
• "Dancing from the inside out" (2016) - Phoebe J Smith thesis
• "Street Action Aotearoa" (1985) - Mark Scott and Peter Black
Music & Cultural Products
• "Poi E" (1983) - Pātea Māori Club
• "E Tu" (1988) - Upper Hutt Posse
• "In the Neighbourhood" (1994) - Sisters Underground
• "How Bizarre" (1995) - OMC
• Proud album - Urban Pasifika compilation
• Pioneers of a Pacifikan Frontier - Urban Pacifika Records
Television & Media
• K-Pop Academy show - TV NZ
• C'mon and Happen Inn - Early NZ dance shows
• True Skool Hip Hop Show - DLT's radio program
• Wednesday Night Jam - Wellington radio show