Awesome flashmob video trending viral

A hundred young people with disabilities surprised thousands of shoppers at Auckland’ Syliva Park shopping mall on Saturday 9th June by performing to Lady Gaga’s Born This Way. In less than 6 weeks, these youngsters perfected their dance by watching the choreography on a Youtube video. They gave their performance after only one combined rehearsal which was staged in the early hours of Saturday before the shopping mall opened. The performers, known as Jammers, who travelled from as far as Wellington New Zealand, to participate in the flash mob are enrolled in StarJam’s weekly performance workshop programmes. This video is attracting significant views even soon after posting on Youtube. Please feel free to share it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-DZKB9wZV0&feature=youtu.be

Pre Christchurch Launch excitement

It's only two days until StarJam's Launch in Christchurch at the Court Theatre on Saturday 4th August. Excitement is building and the Jammers, especially with those flying to Christchurch from Auckland and Wellington to welcome the JamTabs (new Jammers from Canterbury). There's lots to look forward to including Jamming with Ray Woolf again. Nostalgia from the StarJam "All You Need Is Love" shows last year is compounded by some lovely memories of Ray hanging out with Jammers in both Hamilton and Wellington.

Watch out for news of the launch.

StarJam Flashmob

Firstly apologies to all StarJam's blog fans for the big time lag in updates. There's been too much happening to write blogs!!!! Let's start with last Saturday 9th June's big excitement with 100 Jammers and support crew doing a crowd-stopping flash mob at Sylvia Park, Auckland. Lady Gaga's Born This Way song was belted out while the Jammers danced the moves they'd learnt from a video online or at their workshops over the past three weeks. Everyone had so much fun but the real fun is yet to come. ..... the official video of this moving event. Even though Lady Gaga who was in Auckland at the time, didn't accept our invitation to come and see this spectacle, nobody went away disappointed. Lost count of how many people said it was the most fun thing they'd done in a loooong time. Watch out for the video. You'll see what we mean.

The StarJam All You Need Is Love Shows

Apologies to all our blog fans for the very long silence. You may have heard or read on Facebook that The StarJam All You Need Is Love Shows in Wellington on 11th November, Auckland on 19th and Hamilton on 26th were all in the 'lift the roof off' zone. Those who came to see the fantastic talents of the Jammers will remember the joy and happiness everywhere on stage for quite a while to come.

The photos I'm sharing with you just go to show "All You Need Is Love.

The top two photos are from the Hamilton show where Stevie fell in love with Ben Lummis and Ray Woolf, or was it the microphone? The next pic from the Auckland show where the love was oozing; the last pix catches Ray Woolf in Wellington jammin' with the Jammers.

A massive thank you to all our friends who joined the Jammers on stage. In Auckland MCs Cam Calkoen and Jammer Amy Wootton welcomed all the Jammers and introed all the celebrity interviews - Tom Cruise, Julie Andrew, Danny DeVito and many more. In Hamilton Ray Woolf and Jammer Glen Terry MCed the show which included Ben Lummis and Luke Thompson and at the bottom of the island Arron Soma joined Jammer Mary Fisher to lead the Wellington cast which again included Ray Woolf. A huge massive thanks to everyone from celebrity to jammer, from volunteers to hair and make up artists. The full list of contributors sponsors, suppporters and cast is available on our programme. If you would like a copy please contact by web, email etc. info@starjam.org

Money4Jam - The Results!

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE
IN LAS VEGAS
WE HAVE A WINNER

All you had to do was Jam... Video it, YouTube it and get all your family and friends to Support it! And that is exactly what you did in your droves. We had a swell of donations in the run up to competition close. The excitement was immense.

Thanks to all who took part in Money4Jam and donated to win these once-in-a-lifetime prizes. Now, if you’ll give me a drum roll please. We have a winner …

PRIZE ONE

In first place with an incredible video and stunning fundraising total is:

Our b-boy breaker – Jaden. Let’s all “Do the Jaden”! He is truly an inspiration and like one of his sponsors said, “Justin Timberlake would sure be lucky to meet you”. Hey Jaden, if you don’t choose to go into the entertainment business in a few years, please come and use your fundraising talents for StarJam. A remarkable fundraising total of $5931, yes! that’s $5931.

You have a choice of one of three prizes, and we know you’re a mad Justin Timberlake fan so pretty sure which prize you are going to go for. Two tickets to Las Vegas (thanks Air New Zealand!) to meet Justin Timberlake at a VIP meet and greet before taking your seats at the Justin Timberlake and Friends Concert on Saturday 1st October 2011. PLUS! Go wild with $US3000 spending money donated by our friends at Kiwibank. Wow, what a prize!
Thank you our kind sponsors!

PRIZE TWO

In second place with a fine fundraising total of $2175 is Stop! Jammer Time. What a cool name and video. They were like a thoroughbred racehorse approaching the finish line and with a massive donation in the final hour grabbed second place – many congratulations! Now, what is it to be, a trip across the ditch to meet Stan Walker or meet our kiwi legend Neil Finn in Auckland? Enjoy the prize Stop! Jammer Time. and thanks so much for the fundraising efforts.

PRIZE THREE

In third place are the coolest and craziest dancers Hamilton has ever seen, their dancing Jam was certainly dazzling and their fundraising efforts reached a fantastic $1583. Well doneHamilton East Dazzling Dancers! Now, all we want to know is which two of the thirteen of you gets to claim the prize? That will be an interesting discussion between you.

PRIZE FOR THE BEST VIDEO

The judge of the prize for best video is JAM-bassador Ray Woolf. Ray is a show business icon with almost 50 years performing under his belt, so is perfectly placed to award this prize. Check back here as we’re soon to announce the winner of this much coveted prize. The winner takes away an Apple iPhone 3G S 16GB.

SPOT PRIZES

And our final prizes who all receive a years supply of Barker’s Jam are:

1. That Yo Yo Guy
2. Michelle Williams
3. Grace Ikenasio and Malcolm Lakatani
4. Princess Tessa’s Jai Ho Dance
5. Hey Soul Sista

ALL YOU JAM SPONSORS
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Our heartfelt thanks go to all you Jam sponsors for getting behind some great Jams and kindly donating money to help the kids of StarJam.

Our kids or “Jammers” as we call them have found pure positivity through StarJam’s performance programmes. Your support will help get kids off waiting lists and into StarJam workshops.

Final congratulations to our prize winners and thank you to all our other Money 4 jam participants. Your sense of fun by entering Money 4 Jam will make a huge difference to our work.

Money4Jam is a fundraising initiative for StarJam, a super-charity which creates empowering performance opportunities for young people with disabilities, who in turn, provide inspiration and motivation to their audiences. All funds raised go entirely and directly to StarJam

If you’d like to support a Jam and donate to StarJam, click Support a Jam page.

For more information on StarJam please visit our website.

Money4Jam - 3 hours left!

There are only three hours left of this years Money4Jam. The teams are doing fantastically so far, and it's very exciting. Don't forget you can still donate until 12pm today!

Below are are list of all our teams, each unique and amazing people. Thank you all so much for taking part.

The Micro phonics
The George
Hamilton Easy Dazzling Dancers
The OMG'S
Fingerwolf
Introducing Work Mates
Melon Maw Maw's
Bashaldë
Fireheart
Moves like Jagger
Tyler White
Stan the Star
Michelle Williams
The light - Christian Colman
Magic Movers
The Balzats
Kousitc Konnection
That Yo-Yo Guy
Jaden
Sam Verlinden
Princess Tessas Jai Ho Dance
Grace Ikenasio and Malcolm Lakatani
Girl Meets Uke -- Does Opera
Velvet Vocals
Stop Jammer Time
Hey Soul Sista
Jessie Wootton

It's not too late to make a donation, if you haven't done so. Check out the video wall and choose your favorite, even as little as $5 can make a difference in the life of a young person living with a disability.

Please visit our Money4Jam website, we would also really love for you all to join us on the M4J Facebook page and following us onTwitter @StarJam!

Money4Jam - Hey Soul Sista

Hey Soul Sista is 8 year old Oceana and is proud to be raising Money4Jam, she was born with pseudoachondroplasia, a genetic bone disorder & has already undergone multiple surgeries at Starship Hospital which left her in a wheelchair for months but this has not dimmed her dream of being a singer. Oce has her own YouTube channel with over 180,000 hits, takes singing classes at TAPAC & sings as part of a National Tour for TEAR Fund to raise support for children in developing countries around the world. She is an amazingly inspiring young lady and very deserving of our support!

Please watch her video below then head on over to herteam page and donate as little or as much as you can, every dollar is appreciated.



There is ONE day left for you to get involved so please visit our Money4Jam website, we would also really love for you all to join us on the M4J Facebook page and following us on Twitter @StarJam!