They've done it for the second time in a row – Wollongong’s Illagroovers will represent Australia in the World Hip-Hop Dance Championships.
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The six-member crew will fly to San Diego in August to compete in the international competition after qualifying by coming second in the varsity division at the Australian Hip-Hop Championship held in Sydney earlier this month.
Queensland crew Checkmate pipped the Illagroovers at the post by 0.025 of a mark.
The Wollongong-based crew – Ibrahim Ozkara, 13, Gemma O’Brien, 14, Macy Baez, 14, Dominic De Pasquale, 14, Hadley Davidson, 15, and Ryley Cross, 15 – are excited about the competition which will mark their second time on the world stage.
Last year, the Illagroovers placed 17th at the world championships, a category which had 48 teams comprised of the top crews from more than 40 countries.
The dancers are trained by hip-hop teacher Brooke Tulloch at her North Wollongong dance studio Street Beatz Hip-Hop.
‘‘The crew’s goal has always been to represent overseas and the kids are beyond words with happiness,’’ Ms Tulloch said.
‘‘I don’t know many other kids that get an opportunity like this.’’
The crew, which has been together since 2010, are polishing a two-minute routine for San Diego which features hip-hop, popping and break dancing styles.
The dancers train individually four times a week at the studio.
More information is available at www.facebook.com/Illagroovers and at http://gofundme.com/illagroovers.