House Street Dance History in New Zealand

I. Origins and Early Inroads of Street Dance (Late 1970s - Early 2000s)

  • Global Roots of House Dance (Late 1970s - Early 1980s): House Dance originated in the underground club scenes of Chicago and New York during the late 1970s and early 1980s. It is characterised as a vibrant, expressive street and social dance style. Influences include Tap, African dance, Latin dance, and martial arts. Core elements are freedom of expression, spontaneous improvisation, a profound connection to the music (especially the bass), intricate footwork, and distinct body isolations. It served as an escape from societal struggles, fostering an inclusive environment with an ethos of "check your ego at the door". Initially individualistic, it evolved into communal cyphers in the 1980s and 1990s. By the 2000s, pioneers began to codify and teach foundational moves globally, though the true essence remains freestyle, with structure serving feeling rather than dictating it.

  • Genesis of House Music and Dance in Auckland (Late 1980s - Early 2000s):

    • 1988: The earliest documented presence of House music in Aotearoa is in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), with the recording of New Zealand's first house track.
    • 1990s: House music (Chicago, Acid, New York, UK varieties) rapidly became a central part of New Zealand nightlife. Local artists like the hip-house group Chain Gang achieved mainstream success with singles like 'Break The Beat' (1990) and 'Jump' (1991) charting in the Top 40.
    • Early-to-mid 1990s: A significant "Polynesian cultural renaissance" in Tāmaki Makaurau reshaped the city's arts, culture, and music, including the burgeoning dance music scene. This period saw local House tracks incorporating Polynesian influences, such as Anthony Ioasa's 'Baby You Know (Pacific Round House Remix)' and Fuemana's 'Fa A Samoa (Coconut Mix)', transforming House Dance into a vehicle for local cultural expression.
    • Late 1990s - Early 2000s: NZ House productions saw a resurgence, notably appearing on CD compilation albums from Kog Transmissions and on house-focused sub-labels like Nurture Recordings' South Exit. The early 2000s marked a "golden moment" for the local scene, propelled by dedicated promoters, nightclubs, musicians, DJs, producers, and supportive media. Influential American and British producer/DJs like Matthew “Recloose” Chicoine and Dick Johnson (aka Magik J) also relocated to Aotearoa, bringing international expertise.
    • 2003 (from): Mr. Zee "Zed Nufable", a highly respected figure in NZ and Australian street dance specialising in Hip Hop Freestyle, House, and Popping, began competing, battling, and judging internationally. His journey in street dance started in the Philippines in the 1980s.

II. Formalisation and Community Growth (2014-2020)

  • 2014:

    • February 24: Lawrence Liew, a passionate dancer with expertise in House and Popping, created the Facebook group "Auckland House dance Community (AHC)". This group served as a medium for dancers to connect, share information on upcoming events, clips, and music, and for newcomers to connect with the House dance community in Auckland, including information on teachers, classes, workshops, showcases, battles, and jam sessions. Weekly House dance classes were held at Citydance on Tuesdays at 6:30 PM, followed by a weekly jam at 7:30 PM.
    • March: Manobhi Sys subbed as a House teacher for Lawrence.
    • April 1: John Bernardo (JB, Prevail), a leader of NZ Campbellocking and House dancer, posted about a House Jam.
    • May: Dujon Cullingford promoted "SwagFest 3 vs 3 Dance Battle".
    • June: Beginners House Class (6:30 PM) and Freestyle Jam (7:30 PM) were actively running at Citydance Studio 4. Manobhi Sys stated he covered studio hire, making the jams free, which were cypher-oriented and open to various styles.
    • September 27: Jazmine Cox released the first concept video for her dance company, DreamCatchers WorldWide Ltd., which aimed to train dancers in various Hip Hop and Street Dance forms. She sought versatile or specialist dancers for projects.
    • October: Gabriella Gonzalez, a DJ and House dance enthusiast, shared her music and passion for House dance.
    • November 26: The Facebook group "Auckland House dance Community (AHC)" was renamed to "HOUSE DANCE NZ - (HDNZ)". Lawrence Liew made Jazmine Cox an admin of the group. The group's purpose was defined as pushing the movement of House Dance and culture in NZ, providing a consistent training platform through DreamCatchers WorldWide, connecting dancers, and serving as a hub for newcomers. Weekly classes were moved to Central Auckland Dance Studio, Queen Street, on Friday evenings (5:30 PM Beginners/Novice, 7:30 PM Intermediate), with a jam/rehearsal afterwards.

  • 2015:

    • January: Manobhi Sys continued to teach House classes and host jams at CityDance.
    • February: Manobhi Sys taught House classes. Jazmine Cox introduced a new Senior Class at North Shore Dance Centre for Hip Hop, Street Dance, Funk Styles, Freestyle, and Commercial (Wednesdays 6:45-7:45 PM), with the first class being free. She also taught younger participants House dance basics at the same studio (Wednesdays 6:00 PM).
    • March: Anthony Sengers was noted for teaching House and Popping at BADL VOL.2. Swag Fest 2015 was also held this month.
    • July: Donald Campbellock Campbell conducted a Locking class at Viva Dance Studio. The NZ Dance Summit took place, featuring freestyle dancers and cyphers.
    • December: Jazmine Cox, through DreamCatchers WorldWide, sought dedicated Hip Hop and Street Dance dancers.

  • 2016:

    • February: Jazmine Cox hosted House Dance NZ classes at Grey Lynn Community Centre (Fridays 7:30 PM for beginners) with post-intermediate class jams/rehearsals. These classes focused on foundations, musicality, and variations, promoting improvement among dedicated House dancers.
    • May: An Open Jam in association with Flow was offered at Highland Park (Tuesdays 8:30-10:30 PM).
    • June: Jazmine Cox performed with her dance company DreamCatchers WorldWide at the Short + Sweet Festival.
    • September: Buddha Stretch, a Hip Hop dance pioneer from Elite Force, was in NZ for workshops, significantly influencing the scene. HDNZ offered a rotation of teachers and classes in Auckland: Mondays 7:30 PM at Auckland Central Dance (Jazmine, Takumi, Valerie, Meemaa) and Wednesdays 8:30 PM at Viva Dance (Valerie, Jazmine sub).
    • November: Jazmine Cox offered Funk Styles (6:30 PM) and House Dance (7:30 PM) classes at Auckland Central Studios, Queen Street. An all-styles battle was organised by Bill Urale at Otara Centre. A Chicago Footwork workshop with Rob C from Creation Global was also held at Auckland Central Dance Studios.

  • 2017:

    • February: Jazmine Cox announced upcoming workshops with Marie Kaae (House) and Bboy Mouse (Breaking).
    • March: Nico taught House dance at Projekt Open dance class in Manurewa High School before returning to Japan.
    • May: Jazmine Cox held open classes for Popping/Locking (6-6:45 PM) and House Dance (6:45-7:30 PM) at Baxter Dance - Kingsland.
    • October: Jazmine Cox highlighted that her weekly House Dance NZ classes at Empire Studio with Baxter Dance were the "ONLY REGULAR Weekly House Class in the ENTIRE COUNTRY" at that time, emphasising HDNZ's central role. Buddha Stretch conducted workshops in Auckland.

  • 2018:

    • January: HDNZ classes continued at Empire Studios, Bond Street, with Baxter Dance teaching Wednesdays 7-8 PM.

  • 2019:

    • July: John Bernardo (JB, Prevail) taught House foundations at The Spreading Tree studio.

  • 2020:

    • April: The core purpose of House Dance NZ was reiterated: to advance House Dance and culture in NZ through consistent training via DreamCatchers WorldWide, fostering connections, and serving as a community hub for events, teachers, and newcomers.
    • November: An "Only. House" cypher event was held, featuring DJs Tdk, Kahu, Saber, Happy Feet, and Martina Mak. Gabriella Gonzalez also organised various House music events and DJ sets at Fitzroy Lounge.

III. Recent Developments and Current Landscape (2021-2025)

  • 2021:

    • Kinetic Dance Studio NZ was established in Sydney and then expanded to New Zealand by Mitchell Yee, Matthew Yee, and Timothy Choy. Located centrally at 18-20 Lorne Street, Auckland CBD, it offers a diverse curriculum including House, Hip Hop, and K-POP. Kinetic's mission is "to empower dancers by providing space, tools, and support," built on Knowledge, Inspire, and Nurture (K.I.N.). They actively host Faleheddz House Jams, demonstrating a strong community commitment.

  • 2022:

    • Mr. Zee choreographed "The Shelter," a performance featuring Gabriel Nito.

  • 2023:

    • John Vaifale "Happyfeet" achieved significant recognition, being crowned the Red Bull Dance Your Style NZ National Champion. He was also the Faleheddz Vol. 1 Champion. Happyfeet is a versatile Hip Hop Freestyler who blends styles including House, and is a prominent DJ for battles and jams.
    • Sheldon Rua founded FALEHEDDZ, a prominent House Dance and Culture movement in the South Pacific. Its core purpose is to foster dialogue, connect diverse communities, and actively preserve the origins and cultural significance of House Dance. Faleheddz hosts free, weekly community House Jams at Kinetic Studio NZ every Thursday from 8:30 PM till late, open to all, lowering barriers to entry. Faleheddz also organises and hosts competitive events, such as the Britomart Backyard Battles. Footage of these battles is available on Projekt Team's YouTube channel.
    • The HipHop & House Dance Headz / HipHop Househeads Aotearoa community in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) continues to grow, promoting Hip Hop and House Dance culture. They actively organise workshops and battles and are known for their inclusive approach. Mr. Zee is the leader of Hiphop Househeadz Aotearoa.
    • Ken Vaega (Lightsaber, Jr Street Beast) is an influential MC who hosts backyard battles and regular LH Combine Monday House jams within the HipHop Househeads Aotearoa community. He was also the MC for Faleheddz House Battle 2024.
    • Gabriel Nito teaches "Beginner House" classes at HIT Dance Studio. He is a member of Flowmotion dance crew and 603 Boogie Squad, and actively attends House jams.
    • Mr. Zee teaches House Dance at En Beat Dance Academy. En Beat Dance Academy provides a comprehensive range of classes including House, Hip Hop, Breaking, Waacking, Popping, and Heels. Mr. Zee also coaches the 603 Boogie Squad, which includes Gabriel Nito and John Bernardo. En Beat Dance Academy is a premier training facility from which many top talents are scouted, co-directed by himself and wife Rina Chae.
    • Projekt Team is highlighted as a "freshest street dance collective" involved in organising dance events, hosting "backyard battles," and maintaining a YouTube channel featuring Faleheddz battles and showcases. They also represent New Zealand at international events, potentially showcasing House dance globally.
    • John Bernardo (JB, Prevail) previously taught regular House dance classes at the now-closed TST Studios NZ. He is a member of the 603 Boogie Squad and a leader of NZ Campbellocking.
    • Lawrence Liew is known for his passion for House and Popping, teaching experience, and support for the local dance community by sponsoring Neverland Studios.

  • 2024:

    • February: John "Happyfeet" Vaifale served as a prominent DJ for "Pop, Lock & Break it".
    • March: "Funk in da House," an energetic 1v1 popping and House battle, took place at ZONGKITCHEN, with Daniel Bispo as a judge.
    • Sheldon Rua (aka Scent) became the 2024 BattleZone Champion despite competing with a torn labrum in his hip, an injury sustained the night before Fusion Concept in France. He has won multiple tournaments, potentially six in the year. He recalled a significant early win at Swag Fest with his preferred tag-team partner, Joshua Mitikulena (Kokonut, founder of Projekt Team and Hopskotch). Sheldon Rua and his wife Ehetere Rua competed at Fusion Concept in France, a major international competition known for its complex rule system involving time deductions and boosts, overseen by a referee and multiple judges, and attracting a large audience (6,000 to 9,000 people). Sheldon Rua is currently contemplating whether to defend his BattleZone title or pursue a different legacy. He advocates for dancers to explore life outside of dance to enrich their performance and urges understanding of the community's history and lineage, emphasising authenticity in dance.
    • April: An "Only. House: The House Dance Cypher" event was held, featuring DJs Tdk, Kahu, Lightsaber, Happy Feet, and Martina Mak.
    • October: John "Happyfeet" Vaifale is slated to be a prominent DJ for "Pop what you got vol.2".
    • 2025:
    • June 7-8: The Ladies Of Hip Hop Aotearoa 2025 event, presented by Rina Chae and En Beat Academy, included exhibition battles across various styles, explicitly mentioning House, and feature international House dance icon Toyin Sogunro.


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