Step up and stomp the yard

West Aucklanders are lining up to learn hip-hop. Why the leap in interest? Movies about dance, finds Gia Dumo.
A quick look in the Yellow Pages shows 134 dancing schools listed in the Auckland region, most of them in Auckland City (83), North Shore (55) and Manukau (43). In West Auckland, 13 dancing schools are listed, with about half offering hip-hop and a mix of other dance forms. The rest offer more specialised lessons such as ballroom, classical ballet and line dancing.
One dance school owner and teacher, Melissa Ariss, says movies created around dance, such as Burlesque, starring Christina Aguilera and Cher, and experience-enhanced video games, such as Kinect Dance Central, have further heightened interest in dance.
Ms Ariss' Te Atatu Peninsula school caters to students aged from 4 to 45,  and entire families keen on healthy activity together. It offers ballet, hip-hop, jazz and tap. Notably, half the students are boys, mostly enrolled in hip-hop classes.
"It may seem unusual because we are known as a rugby and cricket nation,'' she says. "West Auckland has a lot of hip-hop talents. It attracts kids who want to dance for fun. But the lessons also build their self-confidence, which helps them in life.''
Ms Ariss mentions, as an example, a boy in a hip-hop class who was very shy when he
joined but who, after a few months of dance lessons, pulled off an awesome solo number for the opening of the school concert.
Trained in New Zealand's dance schools since the age of 4, Ms Ariss honed her skills at
Laine Theatre Arts in London's West End. She has also danced professionally in Europe and the United States.
"My own dance training was very strict. I also found out that, overseas, class sizes were big - 100 or 150 - and students were not getting enough attention. So, I wanted a school that was fun-focused and yet still provides the training that the kids need, with small classes of 10 to 12 students.''
Last year, the school had 200 students taking turns under the spotlight in their end-of-year concert in the Kelston Girls' College auditorium. "This year, we are expecting around 300 students. I hired a new hip-hop teacher because there has been a big demand for hip-hop.''
About the boys in her class she says, "When it's something they enjoy, they apply themselves to it and there is no need to push them to practise more. Boys like to be taught by somebody they can look up to so it's all about inspiration. They are also very visual in terms of how they learn.''
The young dance enthusiasts are looking forward to showcasing their skills at the Peninsula Fun Day, which is usually held next month and organised by the Te Atatu
Peninsula Business Association.