LOCAL dance powerhouse Eighty8 Dance Company, led by director, owner and choreographer Meilaing Ng Wun, continues to inspire and uplift young performers across the region – this time celebrating a string of major wins on the competitive stage.
For nine years, Mei has been at the helm of Eighty8 Dance, a vibrant hip-hop dance studio now based in Camira.
Over the years, the studio has called suburbs like Redbank and Goodna home, but its mission has remained constant: to provide a welcoming, energetic space for dancers of all ages and abilities.
“It was never just about dance moves or cool music,” she said.
“These kids need a second home a lot of the time – somewhere to express themselves. That’s what keeps me going. It’s the community, too. Without them, none of this would exist.”
The studio currently features seven teams, including four performance crews for beginners and three competitive crews. The competition teams consist of 21 girls aged between 7 and 15, while the performance crews range from as young as 4 to as old as 65.
“We’ve got some old groovers who just love the stage!” Mei said.
Earlier this month, Eighty8 Dance entered three hip-hop teams into the prestigious Rumble dance competition – proudly walking away with first and third place in their divisions.
For many of the dancers, it was their first time competing, making the results even more meaningful.
A week later, Eighty8’s youngest competitive team, Kandi Crew, secured third place in the Kidz Crew division at the Australian Dance Crew Championships, qualifying them for the national finals in Sydney.
