Latest news with #WorldHip-HopDanceChampionship
Otago Daily Times
10-08-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Left ‘violated' by deletion of Meta account
IMAGE: SUPPLIED The arbitrary permanent deletion by Meta of a Dunedin dance school's Instagram account containing years of memories has left the school's owner feeling "violated". Rasa School of Dance owner Lisa Wilkinson used the social media platform as the main means of promoting her business and had a community of followers that took her years to build up — some of her recent videos were getting up to 60,000 views. On July 30 she was notified by email Meta that her account had been suspended because Meta found it did not follow its community standards. She asked for a review, but the account was permanently disabled on August 1 with the same reason given. About 10 years of memories archived as posts on the platform were lost along with the account, Ms Wilkinson said. "I feel violated. "It's just proven that at any moment this can just be taken away from you." She was now planning to promote her business through her website more than on social media, but it was not ideal as young people who were interested in joining her school to learn hip-hop mostly communicated using social media. As a business owner, social media was extremely important. "It's basically everything." Ms Wilkinson, who is in Phoenix, Arizona, at the moment with a Rasa dance crew, Allies, who are competing at the World Hip-Hop Dance Championship, said she had been gaining traction with views on her posts before the account was deleted. Other Facebook and Instagram users in New Zealand have also reported their accounts being banned arbitrarily in recent weeks, and technology commentator Paul Spain told TVNZ the uptick in wrongful suspensions was worrying. "It's really worrying because social media accounts become effectively a lifeline for some people's businesses, for individuals." Overseas, others have complained of similar bans or suspensions they believe were unjustified in recent months, many blaming Meta's artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Meta — which owns Instagram and Facebook — did not respond to the Otago Daily Times' questions by deadline. In June, Meta admitted wrongly suspending Facebook groups but denied wider problems and said it was fixing the issue. It has told other media companies, including TVNZ, the company uses "a combination of people and technology to find and remove accounts that [break its] rules". There had not been a significant increase in incorrect enforcement by the company, a Meta spokesman said.
Otago Daily Times
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Show to fundraise for dance champs
Rasa School of Dance crew Allies (back row, from left) Safera Wintrup, 17, Ruby Martin, 14, Lisa Wilkinson (dance school principal), Dannielle Veenvliet (coach), Toby Paris, 15, and Amber Woods, 14; front row, from left: Maya Satake, 18, Emily Aubin, 15, and Charlotte Cardno, 17, are putting on a fundraising show at Otago Boys' High School auditorium tomorrow night. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON A Dunedin dance school is calling on the community to help them get to the "Olympics of hip-hop". Rasa School of Dance crew Allies qualified for the World Hip-Hop Dance Championship in Phoenix, Arizona, earlier this month. However, it is going to cost about $45,000 to get the seven dancers and their coaches to the United States for 10 days, and the school is putting on a show at the Otago Boys' High School auditorium to help fundraise for the trip. Dance school principal Lisa Wilkinson said there was no way they were going to fundraise that much money, but they were hoping to get as much as possible to lessen the load on parents. Some parents had already taken out loans to send the children to the competition. Tomorrow's two-hour show will include "heaps of hip-hop", tap dancing, kapa haka and a sneak preview of the Allies routine for the world championships. Allies coach Danielle Veenvliet previously told the Otago Daily Times the world championships were the "Olympics of hip-hop". "It's a really an amazing platform for the best of the best in the world to accelerate their career," she said. The crew leaves on July 22.
Otago Daily Times
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
‘Olympics' next stop for crew
Rasa School of Dance world qualifying dance crew Allies (from left) coach Danielle Veenvliet and her dancers Maya Satake, 18, Safera Wintrup, 17, Amber Woods, 14, Charlotte Cardno, 17, Toby Paris, 15, Ruby Martin, 14, and Emily Aubin, 15, with the dance school's principal Lisa Wilkinson. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON A Dunedin choreographer was in shock when she found out her crew had qualified for the "Olympics of hip-hop". Rasa School of Dance hip-hop crew Allies has qualified for the World Hip-Hop Dance Championship, which will be held in Pheonix, Arizona, in July this year. Allies coach Danielle Veenvliet said it was a surreal moment when the crew found out they had finished fourth at the New Zealand Hip-Hop Dance Championship at the weekend. "We were shocked and over the moon. "It just proved to us and the kids that you don't have to be from the North Island to succeed." Ms Veenvliet said the world championships were where New Zealand dancer Parris Goebel, who has choreographed for Beyonce and Rihanna, began her competitive career. "It's essentially what everyone refers to as the Olympics of hip-hop," she said. "It's a really an amazing platform for the best of the best in the world to accelerate their career." She had gone to the competition herself as a solo contender in 2017 and was proud to go back as a coach. "When I was their age, that was my biggest dream. "Eight years later, I can use those skills and help the next generation live their dreams." Ms Veenvliet started coaching the Allies crew 10 years ago, and the present crop of dancers was the best she had taught. "They've exceeded my expectations already. This is the hardest working team I've ever had and the bond between these guys is unbreakable." For the next couple months, the crew will be focusing on dancing, fitness and fundraising. • Rasa dance duos Rulaz — dancers Ruby Martin and Jeila Morrison — and 2 Lanky — Charlotte Cardno and Toby Paris — finished second and third respectively at the Duo Varsity Championships at the weekend.
