Zeal Taranaki host free hip-hop workshop for Stratford children

John Franco (left) and Jari Jacobs from Zeal Taranaki. Photo / Alyssa Smith

A hip-hop workshop taught Stratford children all the right steps.

Jari Jacobs, from youth organisation Zeal Taranaki, says he and his boss Luke Galley decided to bring a dance workshop to Central and South Taranaki tamariki during the July school holidays.

“I teach a dance class and visit schools in New Plymouth. I noticed we don’t do much in the other parts of Taranaki. At our last school holiday programme, we had a large group of kids from Stratford. I saw the kids’ potential and I knew I wanted to come and host a workshop here.”

Jari says he’s pleased with the number of children who came along to the workshop.

“We had 15 children register, and there were also a few walk-ins as well.”

Jari taught the students two dances he had choreographed.

“We broke up the learning with some fun games.”

He says while it was a hip-hop workshop, he calls his style of dance ‘urban’ as it consists of different dance moves from different places.

“I’m from South Africa, so I like to pay tribute to my home. I also have American dance styles and anything that I find cool. I like to incorporate a lot of moves into my dancing.”

The participants learned two dances and played a number of games. Photo / Alyssa Smith

Jari doesn’t just teach others to dance - his first student was actually himself, he says.

“I am self-taught, I never took part in a dancing class or anything like that. I just listen to the music and I dance to it. That’s what I want to teach these kids: how to listen to the music and dance to it.”

He joined Zeal Taranaki four years ago and says he loves being able to teach dance as part of his job.

“I love being a part of Zeal. Originally, I signed up for a trade, but I didn’t like it. I decided to pursue my dancing, and I’m happy with where it’s gotten me today.”

Lukah Henderson, 11, from Stratford says she loves to dance and the free workshop was the perfect opportunity to learn more.

“I do cheerleading, so I really like movement.”

Lukah, a member of the Stratford cheerleading group Wild Tumble and Cheer, says the workshop helped her learn different styles of movement.

“It will help with my cheerleading. I’ve been involved with dance since I was five.”

Fellow cheerleader Emaleigh Walsh, 13, from Eltham, also enjoys dancing. She brought her Stratford friend Kaylynn Puman, 12, to the workshop. Kaylynn says she’s taken part in dance classes before and wanted to learn something new.

Kaylynn Pulman, 12 (left), and Emaleigh Walsh, 13, were excited about the free dance workshop. Photo / Alyssa Smith

“I thought this would be fun. It’s a completely different style to what I’ve danced before. The bonus is that it’s in Stratford, so it’s local to do.”

Jari says this wasn’t the only workshop he held during the school holidays.

“I also ran a session in Hāwera. That went pretty [well] as well. Around 20 children attended that workshop.”

Jari says he enjoyed teaching in Central and South Taranaki and hopes to come back in the future.

“I think there’s a lot of hidden potential here and I’m pleased I was able to come here and teach.”