Hip-hopper's big chance to dance

Alex Carson will be dancing for Janet Jackson. Photo / Brett Phibbs

A young Janet Jackson fan from Mt Wellington is one of 10 dancers from around the globe selected to tour the world with the 49-year-old pop music legend.

Alex Carson, 23, grew up in Canberra listening to Janet Jackson's music, and began dancing aged 10.

She moved to New Zealand about 18 months ago to join three-time world hip-hop dance champion winners The Royal Family - a South Auckland-based crew - and she also dances with the all-female ReQuest Dance Crew.

Earlier this year Ms Carson, who works at Topshop, and other dancers based at Palace Dance Studio in Penrose, were invited to audition for Jackson's Unbreakable tour which kicks off in Vancouver, Canada, on August 31.

"I was invited to audition over in LA about two months ago, and then I went again a few weeks ago for the callback," she said.

She was successful, and said the opportunity is "a dream come true".

She now has to go back to LA before the tour and needs a US working visa to get there - which she says will cost around $9000, not including flights. Ms Carson has set up a Givealittle page to help raise enough money to get her there and as of yesterday had raised just over $5000.

This is her first time touring with an artist, though she'd travelled through Europe and Australia with The Royal Family crew.

"It's definitely a dream come true, I'm a huge Janet Jackson fan - I grew up listening to all her music," she said.