A 13-year-old Pāpāmoa dancer has created her own business to fund a trip to compete against the best in the world.

Milan Brown is one of 64 hip hop dancers from Tauranga's SPACE studios, which has qualified for the annual World of Dance in Los Angeles. The trip is self-funded, so she's aiming to raise $10,000 by selling towels that are cleverly designed for gym users.

'My auntie and uncle in Australia came up with the idea and had lots of stock here that hadn't been shown to the New Zealand public yet, so they offered them to me,” says Milan. 'They have magnets and a hood so they can be attached easily to gym equipment or anything metal.”

'It beats using an ugly bath towel,” says Milan's mum Christy Brown. 'You can use them for anything. 'They're great to go over the car seat for when the kids jump in after the beach or the lake.

'Little kids love wearing them with the hood to keep warm and you can open the boot of the car and use them as an instant privacy screen.”

Milan's team, NXTGEN, will be up against hundreds of teams from around the world at the Anaheim Convention Center from August 11-14, performing in front of a panel of international judges.

SPACE studios choreographer Cameron Smith says so much more goes into the three-minute routine that the audience sees on-stage. 'These dancers have sacrificed normal teenage daily activities like hanging out with friends and family events to invest in their craft and make a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity happen. Hard work will always pay off and we know our kiddos are going to put Bay of Plenty on the world map.”

Milan has been been dancing hip hop since the age of five – 'so this is a chance for me to learn from great dancers and choreographers and have fun on stage”. 'I'd like to keep dancing as long as I can and see where it takes me.”

To buy a towel to support Milan, go to her Instagram @mojoactivelifestyle