An Auckland teenager who almost lost her leg after contracting a flesh eating disease has defied the odds to compete at New Zealand's national hip hop dance competition.
Kenzlee Sotogi is one of nearly 1000 dancers fighting it out for a spot at the world championship in the US in August.
Six months ago she would have never been capable of pulling any moves because she was bed ridden in hospital, and unable to walk after contracting necrotising fasciitis, a flesh-eating disease.
"It was horrible, I had four different surgeries, most of them were cutting out tissue in my leg to remove the bacteria," she says.
The 17-year-old lost huge chunks of the back of her leg which have healed now, but her scars remain.
"For one of the surgeries they said they don't know how far this is gone, but if it's gone quite far. Then we may have to amputate you and that was the worst thing in the world."
Fortunately it didn't come to that.
Ms Sotogi had to learn how to walk again, and says her motivation was an audition for the ID dance company which was scheduled for one week after her release from hospital.
"I think if I didn't have the motivation of identity I would probably still be in bed not motivated to get up and I wouldn't want to dance," she says.
She's now a member of the nine strong female crew 'Masque' for this year's hip hop international New Zealand competition.
"They're competing for three spots of each division of junior, varsity, adults and mega crew to represent New Zealand," says Hip Hop International New Zealand Director Natasha Kemp.
The competition is in its 10th year, and 2017 is the biggest yet.
As for Kenzlee Sotogi she'd love to travel to the US with her crew for the worlds, but says either way she's just happy being on stage.
"It's just such a blessing to even be here and be walking."
Newshub.
