Students from Manurewa High School now have The Ellen Show in their sights after their The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air tribute went viral.
Rewa All Stars took home the Most Outstanding Performance at the Hip Hop International New Zealand Megaschools Street Dance Competition.
The video of their tribute to the popular 90s television show has since received more than 200,000 views on social media.
- Manurewa High School's epic hip hop routine goes viral
- Manurewa high school hip hop routine took months of rehearsal
After the raft of New Zealand media attention, the group is now thinking bigger - they're scoping out Ellen DeGeneres.
"Nobody overseas yet [has picked up on the video] but it could be, it's been incredible all the attention - let's get on the Ellen Show!" deputy principal Barbara Ngawati-Salaivao told Newshub.
"We are incredibly proud of our dancers and their talent on the stage and their respect and excellence, which just proves because the video went viral."
The dance took months of rehearsals, and students were selected not only for their dancing ability but also their enthusiasm, student Iavana Seuala says.
"We didn't necessarily pick the best dancers but more their commitment, those who showed the best ideas."
He says the whole experience has been very humbling.
"It's cool to see South Auckland, Manurewa, being noticed for something good that's happening in our community."
Fellow dancer Nese Godinet says it was the different characters and the '90s hip-hop influences that drew them to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
"We wanted to bring some of that old school hip hop back in."
The storyline of the popular show truly resonated with the dance group, and they hope their success can inspire others to do the same.
"Basically I think for a lot of dancers in our group we have been through similar things," Iavana says.
"Like you're not good at this course or not good at that, and the whole storyline where Will Smith grows up with no father, a lot of our kids know what it's like to not have a mother or father around, and then he's on the streets... and then his aunty takes him in and taught him all these really good things."
"I've been through a lot in my life...dragged into this group and dragged into that group," Nese says.
"Dancing is an escape from the real world, where I can put a lot of my emotions into it and use my body and be one with the music.
"I really want to help others find their potential and unlock the best they can be."
Newshub.
