Photohgraphy: Carolyn Enting.
Kiwi dancer Rina Chae may have performed with the likes of Justin Bieber and Beyoncé, but recently she’s celebrated her biggest achievement yet – taking the Auckland dance school she founded global.
Teaming up with instructor Angel Lopez, Rina and her husband Zedrik “Zee” Nufable have opened a new branch of En Beat Academy in San Antonio, Texas. Now with their five-year-old son ZoWonare, who loves dancing to James Brown, the couple is splitting their time between New Zealand and the States.
Her son is “an absolute pro traveller”, says South Korean-born Rina, 43, who moved to Aotearoa at age 10.
“He’s been travelling with us since he was one. He knows how to get comfortable on a plane, put his headphones on, play games and sleep for eight to nine hours.”
The journey to expanding into the US dates back to 2009, when Rina became close friends with dancer Angel while he was a student at the Millennium Dance Complex in LA, where she was teaching. In 2024, Angel lived in Auckland for three months, drawn by the high calibre of dancers En Beat was producing, including Kiwi K-pop idols Jasmine Pausch and twins Jiho and Jihu Hwang from the dance troupe Arise.
En Beat Academy has also trained dancers who tour Europe, a team that went to Korea to film a TV show and a 10-year-old hip-hop champion who won an under-18 battle in New York.
From NZ to the US
“Our students get great results,” says Rina.
“Angel was fascinated.”
After returning home to the US, he proposed the idea of opening the first En Beat Academy abroad.
Rina recalls, “I went, ‘OK, this could work.’ There are great opportunities happening in the US, which means we can grow our talent and set them on cool career paths. It just goes to show that we’ve actually got something really awesome happening here in New Zealand.”
Juggling TV, tours and talent management
Along with managing her move to the States, Rina – who hosts popular TVNZ series K-Pop Academy – is directing and choreographing top talent for her agency Rave, plus juggling final rehearsals for
the K-Pop Live nationwide tour, which kicks off next week.
The showcase will feature chart-topping K-pop hits, including Psy’s 2012 smash Gangnam Style, as well as Soda Pop and the Oscar-winning track Golden from the cult film KPop Demon Hunter.
A cast that brings K-pop to life
“I don’t think many can match up to this cast’s level,” Rina says of the show’s ensemble.
“They carry the essence of K-pop. All have experience internationally and have trained at K-pop studios in South Korea, which makes K-Pop Live an authentic experience.”
Rina’s incredible international dance career has seen her appear in 90210 and Fast & Furious, but nothing can top starting En Beat, she says.
“Not only is it elevating me and my family, but it’s also supporting everyone within the academy to do everything from street-dance battle scenes and K-pop to commercials. It’s a dream come true.”
Lessons from Beyoncé
Knowing how to light up a stage and help other dancers do the same comes from working with stars like Beyoncé, adds Rina, who says witnessing the Destiny’s Child singer run her shows has been fuel to her fire for producing K-Pop Live.
“Beyoncé was a boss!” she enthuses.
“Jay-Z was there the entire time monitoring and we were always doing a full run. She films everything and watches it in playback. She picks up everything from the hair on dancer 15 all the way at the back, right down to having a bit more lighting in that corner. She was attentive to detail and I was so inspired. “I took a lot away from watching her work and how I should be working my own shows so everyone can shine.”
Now Rina’s getting to put everything she learnt into practice with K-Pop Live.
She says, “This show is so cool and what it’s doing for the community right now is insane. Not only are we bringing fresh vibes that’ll bring life to cities around New Zealand, but the show’s purely Kiwi made, with a local production team and talent. That’s special. We need more of this.”
Her son ZoWon has inherited some of his parents’ talents – his dad, Zee, is also a world-renowned street dancer. But ZoWon is looking beyond his family, seeking inspiration from the next generation of dancers.
“He loves to dance, but he doesn’t want to learn moves from us,” laughs Rina.
“He prefers to follow the students.”
The K-Pop Live tour kicks off 7 April in Nelson, before hitting Christchurch, Oamaru, Dunedin, Invercargill, Wellington, Napier, Tauranga, Hamilton and Auckland. For more info and tickets, visit kpoplive.co.nz.
