Memorabilia and photos of Wan Squad’s wins in competitions around the world have pride of place on the walls of their Gordons dance studio
“The boys, they do get paid for what they do here... but they’re not millionaires. Not yet”
or play rugby?.’” However he also acknowledged that it was hard to make it as a professional dancer in PNG and having a backup career was wise as well. “We’re getting paid for dancing right now but we’re not going to dance forever and maybe the money might stop coming in. I’d love to just dance fulltime but it’s just the reality in PNG (that you can’t make a living from it), and I’ve always told the boys that PNG is not the end country to live in. “In Australia and America you have more opportunities – for dancers, for choreographers, there are more dance studios, more dance classes. In America you can be a backup dancer for artists, or you can dance in (Las) Vegas at fulltime residency shows. You can also go to Korea and do backup dancing. “I have a lot of friends who are dancing with Chris Brown and J-Lo (US singers), or living in Vegas dancing fulltime, like in the Jabbawockeez (popular US hip hop crew). I’ve always encouraged that for the boys, but it’s tough. Anyone can go, you just need that backing, that (courage) to move and try to achieve something. The world is your oyster. If you want to be someone, go out and make it happen – work for it.”
Gerehu such topics as discipline, self-confidence and teamwork strategy, including a game where they had to scream out a war cry to bring out their confidence in front of their mates. “The boys were there for 10 hours a day,” says Pyan. “We need to be able to say, ‘Hey look, not everyone is academically smart. There are creators, athletes’. But there’s no platform, no clubs, no associations, no backing and no support.” David says he’s an example of a kid who has found a way
forward despite not finishing his schooling. “In this country I feel like it’s your attitude and your character that will take you to where you want to go, without having any papers. I’m one of those kids where I don’t have any certificates, I didn’t pass my Grade 8, I failed two times, that’s around the time my parents separated. But dance has taken me this far and meeting all of these boys.” Pyan says part of his goal was to create opportunities for kids who might not be ‘book smart’. He urged the families of such kids to get
behind them. “It starts from our own bubus (grandparents) and parents who are still old school about how you work for money, but you need to encourage your kids, (say) ‘Hey, you don’t have to go to school, you want to dance
Hamming it up for the camera during the 2022 visit to the US
VOLUME 38 2024
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