Success continues for the oldest hip-hop dance crew in the world, who scored big at the Auckland Regional Hip Hop Championships yesterday.
Made up of dancers ranging between 71 to 96 years old from Waiheke Island, the Hip Op-eration dance crew gained attention for performing at the World Hip-Hop Championships in Las Vegas, and a self-titled feature film released in 2014.
At Vodafone Events Centre in Wiri yesterday, the crew scored higher than crews up to 88 years younger than them for their routine to 'Graveside Jam'.
They had been rehearsing the routine for the past two months, and it included choreography where 82-year-old BB Rizzell was lifted into the air.
They scored first place in the Masters Division and received a score 0.8 points behind world champion junior dance crew Bubblegum.
The crew includes one member who is blind, one who is deaf and two who have had open heart surgery. All members have arthritis and the average age is 80.
"Because I'm a bit unsteady on my feet these days, I performed with my walker which my homies in the crew blinged out for me," says 96-year-old dancer Kara Nelson.
(Hip Op-eration)
The Hip Op-eration crew practise outside in parking lots, paddocks, on a horse trail or at a local retirement village – rain or shine.
"I couldn't be more proud of my dance crew. We've been through a lot together over the past three years," says coach Billie Jordan.
"However, we have pushed through it, worked hard and kept a positive attitude. We encourage all crews and crew managers who are bullied or harassed by others to do the same."
Newshub.
