Parris Goebel is an internationally recognized dancer and choreographer. She runs a studio managing several dance teams that she was a member of and competing in contests with.
As a choreographer, her credits are quite a dream for anyone of her age, collaborating with top-tier celebrities and taking her first steps in the cinematic world.
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Parris Goebel’s Biography
- Birthname: Parris Renee Goebel.
- DOB: October 29th, 1991.
- Nationality: New Zealand.
- Parents: Brett Goebel & LeeAnn Goebel.
- Siblings: Three siblings, one passed away.
- Spouse: N/A.
- Net Worth: ~$5 million.
- Height: 165 cm.
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parrisgoebel/
Early Life
Parris Goebel was born with three bloodlines in her veins: Samoan, Scottish, and Chinese. She was born and raised in South Auckland, New Zealand.
From a rather early age, Goebel had shown a deep interest in dancing and, with support from her family, got her first hip-hop classes at 10 years old.
They often watch and dance to the videos on MTV. And Goebel is always grateful for the tight-knit upbringing she had as a little girl.
Five years later, she and four friends formed their dance team, named ReQuest. Their practice room was the garage and the warehouse of the Goebel before they went to the US and participated in the Monsters of Hip-hop Dance Convention. With her outstanding performance, Goebel was chosen for the finale.
Despite the positive and nurturing family, she often felt like an outcast at school because of her Samoan origin and brown skin.
Like everyone, she admitted to feeling exhausted from the expectations put on her at times. Yet, instead of giving up and throwing everything away, she decided to walk the path she wanted to follow.
Determined to show her fellow Samoan women what they are capable of, she left her current school in Auckland and focused on dancing as a career.
The Way To Become A Professional Dancer & Choreographer
When Goebel dropped out of high school and started the journey to become a professional, her father became her manager and helped her administer the Palace Dance Studio.
She shared that the reason for this decision was because the two dance companies near her home were either for males only or not good enough.
2012 was the first success for the young lady as she appeared in both Dancing with the Stars Australia and America’s Best Dance Crew.
Jennifer Lopez was Goebel’s first and biggest client during this time, as they worked together for the finale performance of American Idol S11 and J.Lo’s world tour.
Following those successful projects, the producer of Step Up: All In had entrusted Goebel with a choreographer position and a role in the movie itself. It fueled Goebel’s confidence to work on Born to Dance, the first hip-hop film New Zealand produced.
After a few years working on The Royal Family, a dance company established and run by her studio, Goebel returned and shone brighter than ever with bomb after bomb: Mylène Farmer’s 2019 concerts and the Savage X Fenty Show with Rihanna’s lingerie product line.
Goebel’s career truly reached its peak when she was selected to choreograph for J.Lo & Shakira and Rihanna for their respective Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2020 and 2023.
Both performances were extremely well received and critically acclaimed, once again confirming the position of Parris Goebel in the world of dancers and choreographers.
Other artists who have collaborated with Goebel are Janet Jackson, Ciara, Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, BIGBANG, Taeyang, 2NE1, and many more.
Among these projects, she had the most remarkable success with Bieber’s “Sorry” MV (8th most-watched YouTube video as of 2020) and “Purpose: The Movement” series (surpassed 5 billion views as of 2020).
Over the years, Parris Goebel’s choreography, called Polyswagg, has been established and developed.
During an interview, she explained that this style is all about breathing, hearing, and living the music so that the dance will be full of passion and feelings.
A lot of her routines were also inspired by the DanceHall style, with the most relevant examples coming from her performances in the World Hip-hop Championship with the Royal Family.
Check more: Kristy Sellars – AGT Pole Dancer’s Biography, Net Worth
Honors & Awards
The first award Goebel received in her career was the Special Recognition Award at the Arts Pasifika Awards 2006 when she was only 15 years old.
Barely ten years later, Goebel wrote her name in the archive of the significant World of Dance Awards with two wins as the Female Choreographer of the Year in 2014 and 2016. More specially, she also won Live Performance of the Year in 2016.
In 2020, when she had yet to enter her thirties, Goebel became a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, a royal honors system for meritorious service to dance.
2020 – 2022 was another boisterous era for the young artist as she was honored with three Emmy nominations, and finally won the third nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography, specifically for her project with Rihanna: Savage X Fenty Vol. 3.
Aside from her achievements as an individual, Goebel’s dance teams (ReQuest, the Royal Family, Sorority, and Bubblegum) had admirable feats in international competitions. The Royal Family even won 3 World Hip-hop Dance championships, a record not yet broken.
Final Words
Looking back at her journey, Parris Goebel realizes how far she has gone, from a little New Zealand girl with a passion for dancing to a badass choreographer for the most desirable shows.
Carrying the purpose of representing what Samoan and Polynesian women stand for, she will certainly deliver more jaw-dropping performances soon!