Cover Dance crew Jam Republic has collaborated with BTS’ Jungkook and Blackpink (Photo: Instagram / @jamrepublictheagency)
Dance crew Jam Republic has collaborated with BTS’ Jungkook and Blackpink (Photo: Instagram / @jamrepublictheagency)
1 / 1
K-pop idols like BTS and Blackpink are known for their slick dance moves—For International Dance Day, get to know the elite dancers and choreographers who help shape every move
When it comes to K-pop, it’s not just the impeccable styling, mesmerising visuals and addictive melodies that captivate global audiences. The dance routines accompanying each K-pop hit are just as essential to the genre’s irresistible appeal. The teams of talented dancers who conceptualise and perfect the genre’s signature choreography, however, often remain in the shadows.
Thankfully, the recent surge in dance-focused reality shows, like Street Woman Fighter in 2021, has brought much-deserved attention and recognition to these unsung heroes. Participants, including skilled dancers like No:ze and Leejung, have gained millions of followers on Instagram and are widely celebrated for their exceptional talents.
For International Dance Day, Tatler shines a spotlight on five dance crews that K-pop royalty can’t get enough of—learn how these dance troupes are cementing their place in the industry today.
Read more: 5 Korean celebrities who are also accomplished athletes
Quick Style
Quick Style started in 2006 as a small dance crew of three members who grew up in Oslo, Norway: the Pakistani Norwegian twin brothers Suleman and Bilal Malik and Thai Norwegian Nasir Sirikhan. Over the years, the trio won various national and European championships, as well as Norway’s Got Talent in 2009. They then established Quick Style Studio, welcoming dancers of diverse backgrounds.
The group first choreographed for BTS in the bubbling electro-pop hit Save Me in 2016, followed by Blood Sweat & Tears in the same year and Boy With Luv in 2019.
In 2022, a video of Quick Style’s performance at Suleman Malik’s wedding went viral on social media, catapulting the group to global fame and sparking a TikTok dance challenge. The studio now has over 200 members, making it Norway’s most popular dance studio.
See also: Meet Quick Style, the dance crew that choreographed for BTS and inspired a viral TikTok challenge
Royal Family
The Royal Family dance crew from New Zealand has swept up wins at major dance competitions, including the World Hip Hop Dance Championships, which it has won three times—the first time a dance crew has achieved this feat.
The driving force behind the Royal Family is the renowned dancer Parris Goebel; she is the founder of Palace Dance Studio, and Royal Family is one of its dance crews. Other renowned crews at the studio include Request, Sorority and Bubblegum.
Goebel who started learning ballet and jazz at a performing arts school at the age of ten. At 12, she became exposed to hip-hop, which inspired her unique “Polyswagg” dance style—it incorporates elements of Polynesian culture, dancehall and voguing.
Goebel has choreographed for a variety of K-pop idols and Western superstars, like 2NE1 and Rihanna. Her choreography for Taeyang’s solo Ringa Linga (2013) earned high praise among fans.
In case you missed it: How 2NE1’s unique fashion is reflected in Blackpink, Aespa and other K-pop bands’ style choices
1 Million Dance Studio
1Million Dance Studio is no doubt familiar to K-pop fans. Its YouTube channel, which showcases its dancers and their choreography, has 26.3 million YouTube subscribers; it also has 1.6 million Instagram followers.
Since its establishment in 2014, the crew has been responsible for the choreography of countless famous K-pop artists. The Seoul-based studio also holds dance classes for enthusiasts from around the world.
One of its co-founders, Lia Kim, is known as the Queen of Popping. She has created dance moves for the likes of Girls’ Generation, 2NE1 and Twice. Some of her most symbolic choreographic works are featured in the videos of Mamamoo’s Hip (2019), Sunmi’s 24 Hours (2013), Twice’s TT (2016), I.O.I’s Very Very Very (2016) and Lim Kim’s Ult (2024).
Holy Bang
Consisting of eight members, Holy Bang from South Korea earned widespread fame after winning the first season of the popular dance competition reality show Street Woman Fighter (2021). They specialise powerful and sexy girl group performances in the hip-hop genre.
The leader of the troupe, Honey J, is the go-to dancer for Jay Park, who is active in B-boy and rapper circles. This talented dancer previously choreographed for Blackpink’s Lisa in her Take Me live performances. Their close relationship was revealed when Lisa dropped a performance video featuring the group for her solo single Rockstar in 2024.
Jam Republic
In 2023, Blackpink made history as the first Korean act to headline Coachella. This historic performance, dubbed “Pinkchella” by Blinks, featured Singapore-based dance crew Jam Republic The Agency. Kiel Tutin, a partner in the crew, was the creative director and choreographer for the performance and also danced alongside the superstars on stage. The 28-year-old dancer has collaborated with groups such as XG, Lesserafim and Babymonster.
Another crew member, Kirsten Dodgen, is a hugely successful dancer who has worked with artists like Justin Bieber, Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna. At the age of 13, she topped the podium at the World Hip Hop Dance Championship. She danced alongside BTS’s Jungkook in the live performance video for his song 3D (2023).
