Parris Goebel: Teen Prodigy to Dance Mogul | The Rest of the Story | ep 4

Welcome to my weekly series "The Rest of the Story,” right here on Hey, Dancer! Each episode, I delve into the lesser-known tales of dance legends and pivotal moments in dance history.

This week, I’m spotlighting Parris Goebel — a self-taught choreographer from Auckland who has taken the dance world by storm. Discover how her early passion for dance, sparked by watching countless music videos, propelled her from sharing her own dance clips on YouTube to choreographing world tours for global superstars by the time she was just 19.

We'll explore her formative years, her signature Polyswagg style, and how it has defined her influential work, including her latest high-profile project, the choreography for Lady Gaga's "Abracadabra."

Join me as we uncover how Parris Goebel continues to shape the world of dance with her innovative spirit and bold creativity.

I highly suggest watching this podcast on YouTube for amazing footage of Parris in her youth and more!

Check out my ⁠Return to Dance docuseries!⁠

Support my Instagram — where I post daily dance inspo, insights and fun! ⁠@backtogreat

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
[Music]

(00:02):
Welcome to my semi-weekly dance podcast, "Hey, Dancer."
Yeah, semi-weekly is twice a week.
Bi-weekly is every other week.
I feel like I hear this mixed up a lot.
I had to clarify.
I'm your host, Miller Daurey,
and today on the rest of the story,
which is my weekly series on my semi-weekly podcast,

(00:25):
we are going to get into the life of a choreographer who turned
her early unconventional beginnings into a global dance phenomenon.
And she is particularly trending right now.
I'm excited for you to hear and learn anecdotes from her life.
You probably don't know.
Before we get into it, though, take a moment

(00:47):
to wherever you're watching or listening,
rate, review, follow, subscribe, like, comment, and share, share, share.
That might be the most important one.
I feel like your dance fam would love this episode
and this weekly series and my podcast, "Hey, Dancer."
Okay, here we go.
In the suburbs of Auckland, New Zealand,

(01:07):
a young girl found her passion not through traditional dance classes,
but through the vibrant world of music videos.
Raised in a house filled with music and dance,
she knew from a very young age that this was her destiny.
She once reflected, "As a dancer, I'm pretty much self-taught.

(01:28):
When I was younger, I took ballet, tap, and jazz for about a year,
but I hated it.
I didn't like being told what to do and how to move."
Her early taste of hip-hop came not from dance studios,
but from what she saw on MTV.
But finally, at about 10 years old,
she did take her first hip-hop class just around the corner from her home

(01:49):
after her mom spotted an ad in the newspaper.
"I walked in, everyone was freestyling to the music
and I just fell in love," she recalls.
That night, she went home with a huge smile on her face,
certain of her path in life,
yet finding a place that matched her vision of hip-hop proved difficult.

(02:11):
"I kind of went from studio to studio looking for a home," she said.
Traditional studios couldn't offer what she saw in music videos.
The style, the rawness, the authenticity of hip-hop
as she understood it.
By 13, she stopped searching externally and found a home within herself,
dancing in her room,
unknowingly crafting choreographies that were uniquely hers.

(02:34):
Half Polynesian and half white A.K.A.
Afakazi in Samoan, she struggled as a teen with her identity and with fitting in,
but she always had dance to lift her spirits.
Her early influences were icons like Missy Elliott, Michael Jackson,
and Bob Fossi, who also resisted conventional dance forms
to create his own language of movement.

(02:57):
The revolutionary approach of Fossi, known for his unique jazz dance movements
and cinematic storytelling, particularly resonated with her.
She admired how he moved against the norm,
creating his own vocabulary of dance,
something she aspired to emulate with her own unique flair,
which she later coined as "Polly Swag,"

(03:18):
a blend of hip-hop with the bold spirit of her Polynesian heritage.
By 15, she had founded her own all-female dance group Request,
where at first they practiced in her on-scarage and later at her father's warehouse.
It didn't take long for them to gain international acclaim.
Her breakthrough came when her group clinched the top spot at the World Hip-hop Dance Championships.

(03:44):
This victory was not just a win.
It was a declaration that a new force had arrived in the dance world.
Yet it wasn't always smooth sailing.
Instead of following a traditional dance education, she carved her own path.
She said, "Growing up, I didn't look like a commercial dancer,
so I kind of took that and turned it into my superpower."

(04:05):
She absorbed the world of dance through every medium available,
from music videos to live performances,
learning not in studios, but from the global stage itself.
This self-taught journey was filled with challenges,
as she navigated between embracing her unique style
and adapting to the evolving demands of the professional dance world,

(04:28):
a balance that tested and ultimately honed her choreographic skills.
This unconventional approach led her directly into the digital realm,
where she truly began to make a name for herself,
utilizing platforms like YouTube, she shared videos that highlighted her distinctive polyswag style.

(04:49):
This digital presence proved crucial, capturing the attention of industry giants.
It was actually through these online showcases that Jennifer Lopez first noticed her talent,
catapulting her into major choreography opportunities.
This bridge from personal exploration to professional recognition

(05:10):
underscores a powerful lesson for all aspiring dancers,
the potential of digital platforms to launch substantial careers.
Her talents quickly attracted the attention of global superstars,
leading to choreography collaborations with icons such as the aforementioned Jennifer Lopez,

(05:31):
Justin Bieber and Rihanna, at just 19, okay, 19!
She choreographed JLo's world tour, showcasing her capability to handle high profile projects
from a young age.
What?
Notably, her work on Justin Bieber's "Sorry" music video,
which is inching right now toward 4 billion views on YouTube,

(05:55):
broke new ground by featuring only dancers instead of the artist,
spotlighting dance as the central storytelling element.
Her innovative choreography for Rihanna's Savage X Fenty shows,
broadcast as special events on Amazon Prime Video,
revolutionized the integration of dance in fashion events.

(06:16):
These performances transformed traditional runway shows into dynamic,
inclusive dance spectacles that celebrated diversity and body positivity.
This forward-thinking approach not only captivated audiences,
but also earned her a prestigious Emmy award,
further cementing her impact on both the music and fashion industries.

(06:40):
In addition to her work on global stages,
she has been a passionate educator,
sharing her knowledge through dance conventions
and her own dance studio, The Palace in Auckland,
which is dedicated entirely to teaching the art of hip-hop.
These platforms have allowed her to shape the next generation of dancers,

(07:01):
extending her influence beyond the stage and into the dance community.
Now let's talk about her latest viral sensation,
the choreography for Lady Gaga's "Abra-Kidabra" video.
Gaga lauded our choreographer's unique vision,
noting that her innovative choreography brought on electrifying new dimension to their collaboration.

(07:24):
See, it's really kind of more than just a dance routine.
It just, I don't know, it feels like a cultural shift is happening,
a piece that blends the magic of movement with the raw energy of music,
capturing hearts and imaginations worldwide,
like literally dancers around the world are emulating their version of this choreo online.

(07:46):
It's just so cool to see, to watch, to experience.
Who is this force of nature?
She's the woman who brought Polyswag to the world,
challenging and changing the global dance scene one bold step at a time.
Her name, Paris Global,
and now you know the rest of the story.

(08:06):
Alright, Dance Fam, I hope you loved that episode.
It was truly so much fun,
not just to research and learn and find out more about Paris Global,
but to watch her dance, I know that this script was mostly about her choreography,
but she's just an unreal dancer.
I mean, if you're watching this by the way on Spotify or YouTube, you will see.

(08:29):
But it's extraordinary how gifted she is at just all the things.
Anyway, I was super inspired learning about her.
I hope you were too.
If you were, give it a share, share with your dance fam,
and again, don't forget to subscribe, rate, follow, like, comment.
It helps the podcaster out.
I gotta tell you, okay, until next time.

(08:50):
[MUSIC]
(gentle music)