Now, she is one of the most acclaimed choreographers and her name is all over the dance industry. This Polynesian woman who grew up in New Zealand didn’t have it easy being so far away from the main studios, dance teachers and choreographers. But Goebel dropped out of school at age 15 to pursue dancing and already had her first big gig at 19 after being booked by Jennifer Lopez for her world tour. JLO discovered her talent through a YouTube video and from there, her credits and accomplishments haven't stopped. To list a few: she opened up The Dance Palace Studio in her hometown and founded the Royal Family dance crew, launched her own activewear label, is the face of the new Nike x Dance Own The Floor campaign, she headed choreography for Jennifer Lopez’s 2020 Super Bowl praised halftime performance and Justin Bieber’s Sorry music video. There’s no doubt that hard work and consistency is what brought her to the top of the game.
The previously anticipated Victoria’s Secret annual fashion show was easily knocked off its top spot when Rihanna brought her essence to the lingerie runways. Parris says of the project “It is essential we see ourselves on the TV screen. We cast people that look like us, our friends, our sisters, our neighbours. Representation is everything and we take our influence and platform very seriously. It is our duty to celebrate everyone because everyone is beautiful”. Savage x Fenty came up with the perfect formula to fight against the preconceived idea of what beautiful and sexy is, leaving VS as outdated. Fenty has had a huge impact on the fashion industry, setting a precedent for diverse inclusive casting and teams.
But these shows are not all that Parris Goebel is recognised for. For me, her most determining trait is foregrounding dancers in entertainment, moving dancers from the background to the spotlight. We talk to Parris Goebel about her career and the mindset of a girl boss.