UPDATE: So The Hits didn't pick me, but I want to congratulate the winners on their cool dances! Aside from the fact that I have a 'story' of bully prevention, 4+ year dream to go to The Ellen DeGeneres Show, am from quakey ChCh etc etc, my dance video was EPIC with choreography, back-up dancers, lighting, stage etc. I put SO much time and energy into it and so did many other people! If y'all help share this around your friends, maybe it can 'go viral' and Ellen will see it and LOVE it and then maybe, just maybe she can help make my dream come true? "Giving up on your goal because of 1 setback is like slashing your 3 other tyres because you got a flat". Let's see!!...

This short film contextualises the 30 second 'Hits dance for Ellen' (The Hits radio station in New Zealand) competition entry that I made with the help of my amazing friends to win flights and tickets to THE ELLEN SHOW!!! The 30 second dance part is at 1.17seconds (and was cut out and sent as the entry). I had only 7 days to organise this and we filmed it all in just 3 hours - I am blessed to have friends that are SO clever and experienced in filming and dancing who helped me out of the kindness of their hearts :-)

If you think this is epic and hilarious and AWESOME, please contact The Hits (polly@thehits.co.nz) and tell them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE SHARE - IF THIS CAN 'TREND' OR GO VIRAL THEN MY DREAM MIGHT COME TRUE!!! XOXOX



Ellen’s been such an inspiration for our bully prevention work – if you’re interested in what we’ve done that emulates Ellen, check out the website page: http://www.bethechange.co.nz/OPPORTUNITIES-4-CHANGE.html - these are all events Be The Change NZ ran last year - we are so proud of those upstanding kids!!

The effort that went into this competition video shows EXACTLY how totally and utterly desperate I am to meet my bully prevention mentor Ellen DeGeneres. For me, it's not about winning a trip to America, it's about wanting to thank my idol and most importantly helping to raise awareness for a world-wise social issue and for my charity that has successfully helped hundreds of young people in Christchurch post-earthquakes. I've worked passionately for four years to develop the non-profit, and have evidence-based research showing the pro-social effects Be The Change NZ's workshops and events have had.

Our aim is to empower young people to connect with each other and work together to develop their own positive culture. Through this they will help eliminate the occurrence of bullying and other anti-social problems currently accepted as ‘the norm’ in their schools and communities.

After much research and planning, I dreamt up a way to not only step outside of my comfort zone to make an extra special 30 second dance video entry to win The Hits competition, but an entire short film contextualizing the dance. I want to make it clear "I am NOT a dancer, that's why I thought up the idea of having back-up dancers LOL! But I wanted to put myself out there, just to show everyone HOW MUCH I am passionate about raising awareness for bully prevention. "I will do anything I can to help raise awareness for the cause, so I decided to look outside of the square and make a video of "my real life dream come true".

I was beyond thrilled to get the support of 50 friends and family to volunteer their time to helping me (and even complete strangers at Rangiora Players let me use their theatre to film in!!). I am very blessed to have amazingly talented friends – as you will see from the quality of the video – and we have put so much time and effort into this because I have a BIG dream…

Four years ago, I made a 'vision board' and on it, I'm on the Ellen show talking to my bully prevention mentor! Here's the pic from 2011 >

I created this video based on it’s ability to draw interest and entice, not only to The Hits, as judges of this competition, but to support the great work Ellen does on her show with bully prevention. My vision is that if I win with the 30 sec dance entry, The Hits listeners and fans will then be invited view this 2.35 minute video, 'like' it and it will go viral world-wide… then Ellen will see it - it’s just the sort of thing that Ellen LOVES – so then when I am actually AT the taping of her show, she will ACTUALLY bring me up on stage to make my Hits radio competition video/dream within-the-dream-video ACTUALLY come true for real!!!! Although I really don't expect us to become best friends... maybe just the dinner with Portia would be enough."