Chevy and his crew filming in Tokyo. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
Former Western Heights High School student Chevy Mikaere, 24, is now living his dream in Auckland teaching hip-hop dancing. He chats to Kelly Makiha about a recent television commercial gig his dance crew did in Japan.
When did you live in Rotorua and when did you leave?
I was born in
Rotorua and left in 2009/10 to go to Wellington, where I did a youth worker course. Then I moved to Auckland in 2011 with my older brother to study at Excel School of Performing Arts.
Why did you leave Rotorua?
I left to pursue study opportunities. Youth work was the initial thing, then after that I wanted to pursue dance a bit more. I wanted to use dance as a vehicle in my youth work initially, but now I teach dance work to kids. My mum and dad, sister and brother are still in Rotorua, as well as aunties, uncles, all the whanau. I don't go to visit as much as I should, but I recently went back cause my sister had a baby.
What does it take to be a good dancer?
I guess just the passion for it. For you to actually become a dancer you have to practice and put time into the craft itself, so a bit of passion drives it and also hard work. There are natural dancers and there are hard workers who have worked to get to where they are, and that's the same in every industry I guess.
Have you ever been involved in kapa haka?
At a very young age I did it with my mother, she did kapa haka at the Whakarewarewa Village there and we did in church and stuff. Now I regret not staying with it and pursuing the Maori language more, and knowing more about my history. I know a bit, but I could know more.
What are your tribal affiliations?
I'm from Tuhourangi and my iwi is Te Arawa.
When did you start becoming interested in dancing?
From an early age, my older brother was in a break dancing crew and I followed and copied them. I started crumping, then break dancing, all the old school styles, b-boying and all that. From there, we started doing bottle dancing [making beats with bottles and stomping], sign language and kapa haka, too. We were influenced by a group called Dramatic Impact. After we saw a group like that, my parents started a church group called Crucial Movement and we started dancing with them when I was around 10 years old. We travelled up to Auckland, did regionals and nationals before I met the crew I'm with now. My brother, Eruwera, was a huge influence behind my dance career.
How did you get into Identity Dance Company?
I met Josh and the Cesan brothers properly in 2012 and I auditioned and got into the group.
How often do you practice?
I teach dance every day, but whenever we have a gig or a competition we're practising hard, but it depends on the time of year and what's happening.
Do you do this for a living now?
I teach dance, and I love it. Having a passion for dance makes you a great dancer, and I have kept pursuing it.
What do you say to people who say you can't live your dream?
They're wrong.
Your dance crew, The Bradas, are two-time world champions but you've recently just done something pretty awesome by being flown to Japan to feature in a major campaign for Steinlager Tokyo Dry beer. What was that experience like?
Tokyo was amazing, it was my first time in Japan and the people there are hospitable, it's a really rich culture, being in another whole environment and culture was very cool. The food was amazing and it was crazy with all lights! I knew the Steinlager Tokyo Dry ad was gonna be sick, especially with them having the funding to do such a cool project and the creative people they have.
So in the commercial you have been turned into dancing digital avatars of Japanese culture. What was that like?
I knew it was going to be epic but it's more than epic. It's crazy. The animation part of it is ridiculous, we look crazy, I love it.