Legacy Artist Feature

8 Flavahz: The All-Female Crew That Changed Dance Competition Forever

Eight young women from Hawaii and Los Angeles fused island soul with West Coast fire — and in one unforgettable season, proved that all-female crews belong at the top of the game.

By Dance Mogul Magazine  |  Legacy Artist Feature

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Who Are 8 Flavahz?

In the summer of 2012, eight young women — some barely teenagers — stepped onto the stage of MTV's America's Best Dance Crew and forced the dance world to pay attention. They were not the biggest crew. They were not the loudest. But week after week, 8 Flavahz delivered performances that combined technical precision, raw emotion, and a fearlessness that made veteran crews look twice.

8 Flavahz is an all-female dance crew originally based in both Honolulu, Hawaii and Los Angeles, California. The group consists of eight members: Angel Gibbs, Camren Bicondova, Charlize Glass, Jaira Miller, Kaelynn Gobert-Harris, Summer Waikiki, Tamara Rapp, and Tiara Rapp. Together, they became the runners-up of ABDC Season 7 — and individually, they went on to build careers that stretch from Broadway-level touring to primetime television to the Super Bowl halftime stage.

This is the story of how a dance convention friendship became one of the most important all-female crews in hip-hop dance history — and why their legacy still matters today.

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From Two Coasts to One Crew

The origin of 8 Flavahz begins with the Hawaiian side. Twin sisters Tiara and Tamara Rapp, along with Camren Bicondova and Summer Waikiki, were members of a group called Flavahs Crew based out of the 24VII dance studio in Honolulu. In 2011, they auditioned for the sixth season of America's Best Dance Crew but did not make the final cut. Rather than discouragement, the experience became fuel. ABDC judge Dominic "D-Trix" Sandoval was so impressed with their skills that he personally encouraged them to return for the next season.

That same year, the Hawaiian girls attended a dance convention in Los Angeles, where they met four California-based dancers who matched their energy and ambition: Kaelynn Gobert-Harris, Jaira Miller, Angel Gibbs, and Charlize Glass. The connection was immediate. The L.A. girls brought sharp isolations, intricate footwork, and a contemporary urban sensibility rooted in the West Coast dance scene. The Hawaiian members contributed island-inspired styles, a deep sense of community, and an infectious joy in movement.

Under the name "Flavahs and Friends," the eight dancers competed together at World of Dance Hawaii, finishing third. That experience solidified what everyone already felt — these eight belonged together. They officially became 8 Flavahz, with each member representing a different "flavor" of dance and personality.

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America's Best Dance Crew: Season 7 — Return of the Superstars

ABDC Season 7, subtitled Return of the Superstars, premiered on April 11, 2012. The format had each crew performing to the music of a specific superstar artist each week, with judges JC Chasez, Lil Mama, and D-Trix evaluating their routines. Ten crews were selected from auditions held in Chicago, Houston, New York City, and Los Angeles. Among them, 8 Flavahz stood out immediately — the youngest all-female crew in the competition, dancing against seasoned groups including the returning Fanny Pak, the explosive Mos Wanted Crew, and the eventual champions, Elektrolytes.

From their very first week, 8 Flavahz established themselves as a force. Their Britney Spears week performance to "3" earned them a safe spot, and they never looked back. Week after week, they tackled the music of Madonna (performing "Vogue"), Drake ("Find Your Love"), Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna ("Birthday Cake"), LMFAO ("Party Rock Anthem"), and more — each time bringing a signature blend of synchronized precision, theatrical storytelling, and youthful swagger that set them apart.

Their journey through the season included both triumphs and close calls. During LMFAO week, they found themselves in the bottom two alongside Rated Next Generation, but the judges chose to keep them. By the David Guetta semifinal, 8 Flavahz were voted safe outright — the only crew to achieve that distinction that week — sending them directly to the championship round.

The Finale: Katy Perry Night

The live finale aired on June 13, 2012, featuring the music of Katy Perry. Both finalists — 8 Flavahz and Elektrolytes — performed to Perry's biggest hits, including "Wide Awake," "Part of Me," "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)," and "ET." Perry herself appeared to encourage both crews. Past champion crews IAmMe, Poreotix, and We Are Heroes returned to perform.

When the votes were tallied, Elektrolytes were declared the Season 7 winners. But the result did nothing to diminish what 8 Flavahz had accomplished. As the first runner-up, this all-female crew of teenagers had proven — on a national stage — that young women could compete at the highest level of hip-hop dance competition and hold their own against anyone.

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Hip Hop International 2012: The World Stage

Just weeks after the ABDC finale, 8 Flavahz traveled to Las Vegas for Hip Hop International 2012 — the world's largest hip-hop dance competition. Dance Mogul Magazine was there to capture the moment. Rather than competing in the main bracket, 8 Flavahz performed an exhibition set that electrified the audience and reminded the global dance community why they had become household names.

Following their exhibition performance, the crew held a meet-and-greet hosted by Vlado Footwear, the official shoe sponsor of Hip Hop International. The event drew long lines of fans — many of them young girls who saw themselves in this crew of fearless, talented, unapologetically confident dancers.

Watch: 8 Flavahz at Hip Hop International 2012

Watch: 8 Flavahz ABDC Performance

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Meet the Eight Flavors: The Members of 8 Flavahz

What made 8 Flavahz extraordinary was not just their collective talent — it was the individual brilliance each member brought to the group. Here is where each member's journey has taken them since the crew's groundbreaking 2012 run.

Charlize Glass — "Char Char"

California Member · Born November 27, 2001

Charlize Glass was the youngest member of 8 Flavahz at just ten years old during their ABDC run. She has since become one of the most accomplished professional dancers of her generation. In 2014, Beyoncé shared a video of twelve-year-old Charlize performing to "Yoncé" on Instagram with a single-word caption: "WOW!" — a moment that catapulted her visibility worldwide.

Charlize has performed at two Super Bowl halftime shows — with Missy Elliott in 2015 and with Kendrick Lamar at Super Bowl LVI in 2025, the latter becoming the most-watched broadcast in American television history with over 127 million viewers. In 2025, she also performed with Queen Latifah at the Academy Awards ceremony. Her touring credits include multiple runs with Nicki Minaj (including the 2024 Gag City US and Europe Tour, where Minaj publicly called her "GAG CITY SUPER HERO") and Maluma's Don Juan World Tour in 2023.

Beyond performance, Charlize founded The Glasshouse LA, her own dance studio in Santa Clarita, California, in 2020. She competes internationally — placing second in the divisional finals of NBC's World of Dance Season 3 alongside partner Julian DeGuzman in 2019. She appeared as a featured dancer in the 2024 film Mean Girls and models for Nike and JD Sports. As of 2025, she maintains over 850K Instagram followers and 1.3 million TikTok followers, and serves as a lead assistant to choreographer Brian Friedman at major conventions including Radix Dance Fix and The PULSE.

Camren Bicondova

Hawaii Member · Born May 22, 1999

Camren Bicondova's career trajectory after 8 Flavahz is one of the most remarkable crossovers from dance to acting in recent entertainment history. Born in San Diego and raised in Hawaii, she began dancing at age six and became an Elite Protégé for The PULSE On Tour dance convention by eleven. In 2012, alongside her ABDC run with 8 Flavahz, she appeared in the dance-drama film Battlefield America.

In 2014, at just fifteen years old, Camren was cast as the young Selina Kyle (Catwoman) on FOX's critically acclaimed series Gotham. Her dance-trained agility informed the character's acrobatic fight choreography, and she earned a Saturn Award nomination for Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Television Series. She portrayed Selina Kyle across all five seasons (2014–2019), appearing in 78 episodes. In 2015, Variety listed her in their Youth Impact Report as a next-generation Hollywood talent.

Post-Gotham, Bicondova appeared in the 2021 sci-fi film Chaos Walking alongside Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley, and in 2024, she co-starred in the horror film Festival of the Living Dead. She continues to work as both a dancer and choreographer while maintaining a selective acting career, currently available for fan engagement through the Cameo platform.

Kaelynn Gobert-Harris — "KK"

California Member · Born November 30, 1995

Kaelynn Gobert-Harris, affectionately known as "Kay Kay" or "KK," is one of the most versatile working dancers in the industry. Raised by a single mother who could not afford dance lessons, Kaelynn taught herself to dance by watching YouTube videos — a story that resonates deeply with dancers who did not come from privilege but built their careers through pure determination.

She began dancing at five years old and was hand-selected for the Los Angeles Sparks dance team, where she performed for four years. By twelve, she was earning scholarships on the convention circuit and traveling as an Elite Protégé alongside choreographers Brian Friedman, Dave Scott, Wade Robson, Tessandra Chavez, and Tyce Diorio.

Since 8 Flavahz, Kaelynn has performed nationally on The X Factor, The Voice, Glee, MTV's Video Music Awards, and FOX's Empire. Her professional credits include work with Sade, Missy Elliott, Gwen Stefani, Fergie, Pharrell, Queen Latifah, Britney Spears, Usher, and many more. She also teaches on the STEEZY Studio platform, bringing world-class instruction to dancers globally.

Tamara Rapp & Tiara Rapp — The Twin Foundation

Hawaii Members · Born 1995

Twin sisters Tamara and Tiara Rapp were the heart of the original Flavahs Crew and the driving force behind the idea to merge with the California dancers. As members of the 24VII dance studio in Hawaii, they were also part of 24VII Danceforce, which won the World of Dance Hawaii competition in 2011 — the same event where the merged group placed third. The twins brought structure, leadership, and an unshakeable bond that gave the crew its emotional center.

Summer Waikiki

Hawaii Member · Born 1999

Summer Waikiki rounded out the Hawaiian contingent of 8 Flavahz, bringing a grounded island energy that balanced the crew's intensity. Like Camren, she trained at the 24VII studio and was part of the original Flavahs Crew that auditioned for ABDC Season 6. Her presence and consistency were integral to the group's cohesion throughout their competition run.

Angel Gibbs & Jaira Miller

California Members

Angel Gibbs and Jaira Miller completed the Los Angeles side of 8 Flavahz. Both trained extensively in the L.A. studio scene, developing sharp technique through workshops and conventions. Jaira later appeared as a guest dancer on The Today Show in 2013, and both members contributed to the crew's post-ABDC appearances, including workshops and music video projects. Together with Kaelynn and Charlize, they represented the urban hip-hop sensibility that gave 8 Flavahz its competitive edge.

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Career Timeline & Key Milestones

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Cultural Impact: What 8 Flavahz Meant for Dance

The significance of 8 Flavahz extends far beyond their ABDC placement. In 2012, hip-hop dance competition was still overwhelmingly dominated by male crews. Female crews existed, but rarely made it to the finals of major national competitions. 8 Flavahz did not just make the finals — they made people believe that all-female crews could win.

Their success opened doors for a generation of young female dancers who saw themselves reflected on that stage. Here was a crew of girls — some as young as ten — who were not positioned as novelties or underdogs. They were positioned as competitors, and they competed with a level of artistry that earned the respect of judges, peers, and audiences worldwide.

The crew also represented something rare in dance culture: genuine cross-regional collaboration. At a time when crews were often defined by their city or studio, 8 Flavahz merged two distinct dance ecosystems — Hawaii's island culture and L.A.'s urban hip-hop scene — into something new. They practiced via webcam across time zones, built trust through shared discipline, and showed up on national television as one seamless unit.

That model — of dancers finding each other across geography and building something together through technology and determination — would become increasingly common in the years that followed. 8 Flavahz were ahead of their time.

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ABDC Season 7 Performance Log

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Where Are They Now? A Legacy Still Growing

Though 8 Flavahz was active as a group primarily from 2011 to 2012, the careers born from that experience have only accelerated. Charlize Glass has become one of the most booked professional dancers in the world, with Super Bowl performances, Oscar stage credits, and a global touring resume that few dancers of any age can match. Camren Bicondova transitioned into a five-season television career on Gotham and continues to work in film. Kaelynn Gobert-Harris remains a respected working dancer and educator with credits spanning television, live performance, and digital instruction.

The crew's post-ABDC work together included music videos, workshops at Boogiezone Utopia, and convention appearances. Their 2014 video "No Flex Zone," choreographed by Willdabeast Adams and Janelle Ginestra and directed by Tim Milgram, became one of the most-watched dance videos of that year and cemented their place in the YouTube dance community's memory.

Individually and collectively, the members of 8 Flavahz represent a generation of dancers who grew up on competition stages, learned to collaborate across distance, and turned their passion into lasting professional careers. Their story is proof that the skills built in youth dance — discipline, teamwork, adaptability, and fearlessness — are transferable to every stage life offers.

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Why This Story Matters to Dance Mogul Magazine

Dance Mogul Magazine was there in 2012 when 8 Flavahz took the stage at Hip Hop International. We covered their performance, captured their energy, and shared their story with our community. Returning to this article now — with a comprehensive, updated profile — is part of our commitment to being the most complete dance culture resource available.

Our mission has always been inspiring self-empowerment through dance culture. The 8 Flavahz story embodies that mission: young women who taught themselves to dance, who overcame geography and resources, who competed on the biggest stages and then built careers that continue to inspire. When a reader comes to Dance Mogul Magazine looking for the 8 Flavahz story, they should find everything they need right here — the history, the members, the performances, the cultural impact, and where each member is today.

That is what we mean by being a one-stop resource for dance culture. Every artist we feature deserves that depth. Every reader deserves that completeness.

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Dance Mogul Magazine — Inspiring Self-Empowerment Through Dance Culture

© 2026 Dance Mogul Magazine LLC. All rights reserved. Originally published August 2012. Updated May 2026.