Gela Atayde, Filipino group join 2023 World Hip Hop Dance tilt

MANILA, Philippines — Competitive dancer and young actress Maria Angela Campo “Gela” Atayde will be hitting the dance floor as she competes in the 2023 World Hip Hop Dance Championship from July 30 to August 6 at the Arizona Grand Resort and Spa in Phoenix.

After she qualified together with her group Legit Status to the world’s grandest hip hop dance competition, Atayde is bent on winning the competition and bring honor to the Philippines.

The 21-year-old communications student from La Salle then plans to resume her acting career -- being a Star Magic talent -- after her stint in the "Olympics of dance".

Gela, the youngest sister of actor and Quezon City First District Rep.Arjo Atayde, actress Ria and younger brother Xavi, bared undergoing intense training as the competition looms.

“As of now we practice five times a week but as the competition gets closer and as our fundraising concert gets closer, we are transitioning to everyday training,” she said, stressing it's an honor be among the dancers representing the country on the world stage.

“It is an honor to be able to represent the country in this competition. This has been a dream of mine since the start of my dance career. This competition is a big deal to a lot of dancers around the world and it’s something we really look forward to every year both as a competitor and audience.”

Gela, the daughter of veteran actress Sylvia Sanchez-Atayde and Art Atayde, and her group Legit Status will test their mettle against more than 100 foreign teams in the Megacrew Division, in which squads are composed of 15 to 40 members.

Although the official team lineups have not been revealed yet, Legit Status is slated face more than 4,000 dancers from the United States, Canada, China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and Mexico, among other nations.

Meanwhile, Atayde named the other members of her team. They include  director and coach Vimi Rivera and his wife Shayna Young Rivera, and senior choreographers Judd de los Reyes, Erik Cruz, Tank Bautista, Jigoro Grasasin, Dune Mondejar, Jesse Rafael, Francis Del Mundo, Emerson Marte, Keith De Guzman, Sebastian Mangrobang and Paul Pavlos.

“In total, we are more than a hundred already but the competing members are 40,” she added. “The senior choreographers help in putting the whole piece together through collaborating with the different styles they specialize in.”

Legit Status, she said, made it to the tournament after finishing first runner-up  against eight other competitors in the 2023 Hip Hop International Nationals last May 26-28 at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila.

Atayde said that she was inspired by elder brother Arjo to dance when she was 12, adding she has tried only hip hop and street dance so far.

“Watching Kuya Arjo dance back when he was a competitive dancer sparked my love for dancing. But today, it is also other talented dancers around the country who inspire me to continuously grow in dance,” Atayde said. “This is the path I have always wanted to take.

She has been motivated by many people like her first former coaches coach Von and Chinky Asilo in her former dance team — Poveda Enciende — for raising her to be the dancer she is today.

“All the values they have taught me from when I was 13 years old up until I was 18 have brought me here. They are definitely the two people that keep me going. Aside from them, my family and friends who continuously support me. They are my motivations.”

Atayde obviously is no stranger to the international hip hop street dance competition scene, having been a champion in the 2017 Dance Worlds and a bronze medalist in the International Cheer Union, both in Orlando, Florida.

She was reigned locally in the Beacon Dance Competition and the Chosen Ground 15 in 2019.

The actress-dancer credited Rivera for her rise.

“I’m thankful to coach Vimi Rivera who I can say believes in me more than I actually believe in myself. His trust, patience and understanding with me and my work keep me grounded,” Atayde said.

“The confidence coming from my coach motivates me to always push harder because I get to do the two things I love the most at the same time despite how hectic and tiring it all is.”

Legit Status is schedule to fly to the US in late July.