By Jesse Peach
South Auckland’s South Side Arts Festival will be headlined by a dancer who has gone from grass roots to the world stage, all in a few months.
Parris Goebell, 20, was spotted online.
When the self-taught dancer put a video of herself on YouTube, she didn't expect one of the biggest names in music to notice - Jennifer Lopez.
“So her boyfriend Casper saw some of my work and he emailed me on Facebook.”
And J-Lo liked what she saw. Just a few months later Goebell was tasked with choreographing the superstar's world tour.
“[It] felt surreal. I try my best to see it like you wouldn't see it. Being real present.”
She has taken her south Auckland based dance crew, "Request" with her.
They danced with J-Lo on American idol and in J-Lo's latest music video, which Goebell humbly admits, she choreographed too.
Goebell says she's living what she thought was an impossible dream.
“For me I feel like it's my job to express and explain to young people that if you want to do something it is possible.”
And her career is headed for even greater heights.
“He basically said do you want to do this job for us on Cirque du Soleil.”
That job is choreographing the new Cirque du Soleil show based on Michael Jackson’s life. And she's managed to get her crew on board as dancers for it too.
3 News