22-07-2025
Auckland dance troupe Yung ID wins championship at World of Dance summit in Los Angeles
Underneath the post, company director and choreographer Joshua Cesan commented, 'AHHHHHHHHGGGGHHG'.
The World of Dance Summit involves dance troupes from around the world face-off in three rounds of competition, culminating in a final showdown.
Other New Zealanders also had success at the competition. The Collective placed first in the team championship round and third in their final, and Auckland dancer Ken Vaega (AKA Lightsaber) won the top award for all style champion.
Based in the Auckland suburb of Morningside, IDCO was established in 2008 by students from Western Springs College and Mt Albert Grammar. After being NZ's Got Talent grand finalists in 2013, Cesan expanded the company to a commercial enterprise in 2014.
Yung ID competes in the Junior Varsity Mega Crew category, for groups aged 13-17 years old.
Among their other dancing accolades, Yung ID won first place in Project Hip Hop Dance Competition's Mega Crew Division in 2022 and 2023.
Other successes attributed to IDCO include winning Whakaata Māori's talent show The Stage - Haka Fusion in 2016.
The IDCO website says Cesan has an international reputation for his 'signature style 'glitching' that is recognised and emulated around the world'.
With company members ranging from 10 to 30-plus years, IDCO says it offers crew placements at junior, varsity and adult age levels with 'the opportunity to audition at the beginning of each new year'.
In addition to its crew training programme, IDCO offers public classes.
IDCO choreographers and dancers have performed in TV shows, films and in advertisements for brands such as Sony, Les Mills and Steinlager.
