Billie Jordan

After surviving an abusive childhood and repeated trauma in the deadly Christchurch Earthquake in 2011, Billie Jordan used these experiences as a catalyst for bringing a sense of purpose and joy to the lives of the senior citizens in her community on Waiheke Island (a small island off the East Coast of New Zealand). She established The Hip Op-eration Crew; a hip hop dance group consisting of 27 members aged 74 to 99 years old. As their leader, and with high expectations of her team, she gave her dance group the audacious goal of being good enough, in just eight months time, to perform at the World Hip Hop Championships in Las Vegas. With no background in dance, hip hop or working with the elderly; and with a team of dancers whose average age was 80 (with many members who were blind, deaf, disabled or had dementia), she had her work cut out for her. In her presentation she discusses her personal story, her belief her team reaching a seemingly impossible goal, the obstacles they faced as a group, and the tight relationship they formed with the only group of people who supported them on their journey - a group of young street dancer from Otara (the Bronx of New Zealand). Against all odds and with strong leadership, togetherness and teamwork they made it to the World Hip Hop Championships and into the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest dance crew on the planet. Billie's unique presentation captivates audiences across all ages and industries, is moving, full of videos and photos (i.e. no boring text) and makes people laugh and cry (but all in a good way). It's a heart-warming story that shows, with the right attitude, anything is possible!