Kru Oat Chanukrit Thienkalaya
Dance/performance background
I started studying dance when I was fourteen. I became a professional dancer at 17. Between 1994 and 1999, I worked regularly with Grammy Entertainment, and performed in numerous stage shows, concerts, and company shows, and on TV in commercials and advertising. My most notable performances during that time include being a back-up dancer for Thailand’s stars Navin Tar, Mos Pathipan, Tata Young, and Nut Meria to name a few.
In 2000, I moved to the U.S. for eight years. There, I continued studying dance, while attending university. I took dance classes at the university, as well as many local dance studios in Portland, Oregon. Every summer, I also attended classes and workshops at The Edge in Los Angeles and the Broadway Dance Center in New York to further my dancing skill.
In 2008, I returned to Thailand, where my first performance was in the Babb Bird Bird concert with pop icon Bird Tongchai at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, which was the springboard that relaunched my dance activities in Thailand. I began doing a lot of free-lance dance work, and then got invited to become a dance teacher at SuperStar Academy in Bangkok, working with many famous actors/actresses, singers, and top dance professionals in Thailand. In 2009, I was Assistant Show Director for SuperStar Season 2 on Channel 9. I very quickly became popular and much sought out as a dancer, dance teacher, choreographer, and later, show director and commentator in a wide variety of projects, including the Teen Superstar Reality Show (2010) on Channel 9, The Idol Project (2010) and Thailand’s Most Famous (2012) , both for Channel 3, which were all televised nationwide. From 2009 - 2011, I ran my own dance studio, from which I choreographed and produced projects for major local exhibitions.
In 2011, I started doing larger projects, including my first Motor Show and Motor Expo for Ford and BMW. I began producing, choreographing, and presenting performances for New Year’s and Oktoberfest at various hotels in Hua Hin, including the Hilton, Anatara, Marriott, and Intercontinental. In 2012, I was also invited to be a guest choreographer for the « Car of the Year 2012 » project in Johannesburg, South Africa. I worked with several famous singers and professional dancers in South Africa.
By 2013, I was producing two or more motor expo and motor show performances a year for multiple companies, including BMW, Ford, Nissan, AirStream, Subaru, MG, and Peugeot. Meanwhile, I was constantly being invited to serve as a dance judge or commentator for a wide variety of dance competitions at schools, universities, malls, and companies, and on television. It was also in 2013 that HerbaLife first invited me to produce their annual show in Bangkok with a cast of professional and non-professional dancers numbering in the hundreds.
Since then, Herbalife has flown me to Singapore, Cambodia, and Macao to produce even bigger regional programs, some lasting two or three days in length. At the same time, I have continued to serve as a show producer and dance judge or commentator for Money Expo, Shoot it Dance Contest, and Hip Hop Dance Championship Thailand , among others. I was the first dance professional to bring Tron dance to Thailand, paving the way for a new aspect to my reputation, that of an innovator.
Today, I have logged over 10,000 hours of professional dance activity, a significant percentage of that as a judge and commentator. To date, I have judged over 100 local talent contests. 4,000 people follow my daily blog and Facebook posts in Thai and English, commenting on major dance events, or televised dance competitions, to get my professional opinion as an experienced dance judge with realistic real-world knowledge and understanding. In addition, thanks to my English skills, I am able to participate in major international projects, and coordinate production activity smoothly between native and non-native speakers. I continually work to increase my knowledge, improve my understanding, and give myself new experiences which contribute to my professional expertise. I am known, in Thailand and abroad, as a source of contacts, knowledge, informed understanding, and helpful advice.
Achievements, Certifications and Affiliations
Certificate of Achievement, Hip Hop International Rules & Guidelines Workshop, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017
Completed an HHI Elite Judge training in San Diego, U.S.A. in 2015
Judge for HHI Switzerland 17th Swiss Hip Hop Championship in Lausanne 2016
Judge for HHI Thailand from 2013- present
Please provide additional information that would be helpful in the assessment of your knowledge, expertise and qualifications specific to judge the World Hip Hop Dance Championship
Since first becoming involved with Hip Hop International Thailand in 2013, I have increased my knowledge and expertise continuously. In the very first stage of HHI Thailand, I served as translator and advisor to the HHI Thailand Director. I attended the very first HHI judge workshop in 2013, and became one of the first group of certified judges for HHI Thailand. Since then, my passion for Hip Hip has grown significantly, because the philosophy of the Hip Hop community inspires me personally, both as a dancer myself, and as a judge. From 2014 – 2016, I taught HHI rules and regulations to dance crews here in Thailand, before they entered the competition. I went over the rules and regulations with all the qualified teams, and helped make sure they understood them.
In 2015, I was a shadow judge for the World Hip Hop Championship in San Diego, California, U.S.A., and became a certified Elite Judge for HHI, which now allows me to judge in any country around the world. So, it was a real honor, in 2016, to be invited to judge for HHI Switzerland for the 17th Swiss Hip Hop Championship in Lausanne. It was a real disappointment for me not to be able to attend HHI Switzerland in 2017, due to prior commitments, but I am really looking forward to returning again this year. The Swiss team brings lots of energy and dedication, and it is always a thrill to see them grow and become world champions.
Like HHI, I believe that love, peace, unity, and fun are the reasons for dancing. I always promote this philosophy to younger dance generations. Because of my determination to be one of the best judges, and because I take it seriously, I have studied all the rules and regulations, and watched past performances to practice my judging skills. I am pleased to have been a judge for four years in a row in Thailand. I genuinely enjoy working with HHI and its people, and it is my goal to promote HHI in Thailand and throughout the region.
Every day, I see HHI helping today’s youth by giving them a goal, a dream, and something to shoot for. I enjoy the process of helping people improve themselves and become better. I am impressed with how HHI inspires them to work so hard, and I am proud of the work that they do. HHI’s mission is important to me, and it would be an honor and a privilege to contribute to the great work you do. Thank you.
