A Tauranga dance studio is proving big dreams can grow from small places, with its young performers heading to international stages and major competitions this year.

After being crowned back-to-back national hip hop champions in 2025, Space Studio dancers have been invited to perform in Canada at a confidential international event — a rare opportunity for a group of performers aged just 14 to 17.

“It’s pretty wild,” Space Studio co-director Cameron Smith said. “To have kids flown across the world to perform is something really special.”

The momentum doesn’t stop there. The studio has also been selected to join Community Division in the International Dance League – a new global competition model Smith likens to professional sport.

“Think NFL, but for dance,” he said. “Dancers can be selected, contracted, and potentially go on to become fulltime professional performers.”

Performers from Space Studio will be heading to international stages and major competitions in 2026. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

A team of Space dancers will travel to Sydney shortly after their Canada trip to compete in the league, with hopes of catching the attention of international recruiters.

Closer to home, the studio’s contemporary team is preparing for the National Dance Challenge in Auckland later this year, after viral success in 2025 when one of their performances racked up 30 million views online.

“There’s definitely a buzz around our dancers now,” Smith said.

International attention has also come from major artists, including Nicole Scherzinger from the Pussycat Dolls and Natasha Bedingfield, who have shared Space Studio content on social media.

“It’s crazy to think people like that are watching what our kids are doing from little old Tauranga,” he said.

Later this year, 46 dancers will travel to Queensland to compete in a major Australasian competition, while another group had secured a month-long performance residency at Spookers in Auckland during Halloween.

This will see 10 dancers perform multiple shows each weekend, travelling back and forth from Tauranga.

Summer Tyson and Cameron Smith run Space Studio in Devonport Rd, Tauranga. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

Smith, who runs the studio alongside partner Summer Tyson, said the success came down to hard work and strong community support.

“The biggest thing is gratitude,” he said. “The parents are the ones driving kids to rehearsals, picking them up late at night, making it all happen.”

The studio’s focus had always been simple – creating opportunities for local talent, Smith said.

“The Bay is so overlooked, and we’ve got so much talent here. Space is all about giving kids opportunities they might otherwise only find in big cities or overseas.”

Despite the growing recognition, funding remained a challenge.

“It can be harder to get support compared to other activities,” Smith said. “But we’re fortunate that opportunities are starting to come to us.”

Founded during the Covid-19 pandemic, Space Studio had rapidly grown into a high-performing training ground for young dancers and a launch pad for future careers.

“We always knew this was a stepping stone,” Smith said.

“If our dancers can turn something they love into a fulltime career, that’s the dream.”