A selected Japanese team from the dance studio "Liv Dance Academy & Entertainment" will represent the Philippines in the World Championship.
In early April, the Philippine qualifying round for the global street dance competition "Hip Hop International" was held at the Metropolitan Theater in the Ermita district of Manila, in the Manila area. The selected team ``Liv Family'' made up of eight Japanese people won the prize in the junior category. Having qualified for the world championships scheduled to be held in Arizona in the United States in August, the Japanese team will represent the Philippines on stage.
Live Dance Academy & Entertainment has just opened a studio in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig City in 2023. They accomplished this feat in their first attempt at the preliminary round against a powerful country that regularly wins medals in various divisions at world championships. Asami, the instructor, said, ``All of the children (on the selected team) grew up in the Philippines. We are proud to represent the Philippines in the U.S. tournament. Please support the children's big dreams and challenges! '' she said enthusiastically.
Asami says she has continued to tell her students about the importance of taking on challenges and believing in their own abilities. ``A recital and a contest are completely different things. Not only do I have basic dance skills and skills, but I also have little experience performing on stage, so I felt that it was too early to take on the challenge of a major world competition.'' In addition to practicing hard, we focused on developing our mental health. Everyone was able to perform to their best potential with high spirits, which led to good results.''
Facing a team of Filipino dancers who overwhelmed the venue with their strength, confidence, and overflowing passion, they showed their individuality by focusing on synchronization and sharpness, and as a result, their skills such as detailed steps were highly praised. In preparation for the world competition, the Lib Family will not only make their performances more appealing with their facial expressions and passion, but also change the choreography to incorporate big tricks and create works that are even more difficult.
The studio currently has students from various countries, including Japanese, mixed Japanese-Filipino, Filipino, Chinese and Indian. 120 students, both male and female, ranging in age from 3 to 50, are learning dance under professional instructors. (Fukuda Rie)