Scary moments on stage

Published: 7 February 2023

DJ, international dancer and choreographer Lance Savali has had his fair share of scary moments on stage.

In 2021, he became a household name when he starred in Celebrity Treasure Island. This year, he joins a cast of favourite competitors from past seasons in Treasure Island: Fans and Faves.

However, his credentials go beyond reality TV and into music, dance and choreography, where he has shared the stage with international icons like Beyoncé, Rihanna and Jennifer Lopez.

Dancing with a heart condition

Lance has a heart condition called supraventricular tachycardia or SVT, which he says makes his heartbeat really fast.

“This is not easy to manage when you’re meeting global celebrities and dancing up a storm on stage,” he says.

Lance’s heartbeat can get up to 240 beats per minute, leading to some scary moments on stage, where he has had to remain professional and calm.

"Support has kept me going"

Keyhole surgery has helped Lance maintain his active lifestyle, and a good understanding of his condition enables him to manage it.

Lance also credits his mum and dad’s support growing up and their ongoing encouragement to pursue his dreams despite living with a heart condition that could potentially have stopped him from dancing.

“Support from my family, doctors, and cardiologists keep me going.”

These days, Lance is busier than ever, releasing the song “Move Ya Body” in 2022 and travelling to the United States to be a backup dancer for Chris Brown late last year. He was also number 1 in “The Most Viewed Artists – NZ” on TikTok in 2022.

Supporting the Big Heart Appeal

Now he wants to support the Heart Foundation,  his charity of choice for Treasure Island and is encouraging New Zealanders to support the Big Heart Appeal in February 2023.

“Donations will help fund more life-changing research, overseas training for New Zealand cardiologists and support families as they learn to understand and live with heart disease,” he says.