Dancer overcomes bullying to shine

Auckland dancer Eden Coleman is set to go global.

The 22-year-old, who’s represented by the Howick-based talent agency 3WJ+Boy, has a big 2025 planned.

She’s recently performed with popular British band Coldplay on their Music of the Spheres tour in New Zealand and headlined the major US music festival Coachella with BlackPink

Coleman’s second Ugly Beauty world tour alongside C-pop royalty Jolin Tsai spanned five months, with her participating in about 20 two-hour shows across China.

The first Ugly Beauty tour, in 2023, drew 443,000 fans and last year drew audiences of over one million people.

It marked another milestone in Coleman’s career.

She says she was “so happy” to be asked to do a second tour and was eager to perform and contribute to the electrifying experience that awaited the fans of the successful shows.

“I was thrilled to embark on the tours, which were an epic journey, with Jolin and the team again. It’s like nothing you’ve ever visually experienced.

“Everything was so amazingly extreme, from the lighting to the gigantic stage props, down to our incredible outfits.”

Coleman’s other recent highlights include performing at the historic Women’s Rugby World Cup with UK pop sensation Rita Ora before over 1.2 million online viewers.

She’s also shared the largest stadium stages multiple times with New Zealand band Six60.

Coleman’s journey to international acclaim began in Auckland’s dance scene, where she gained prominence with esteemed dance companies such as The Royal Family, Identity Dance Company, and Neverland Studios.

In addition to her performances, she dances in the choreographic process (skeleton crews), providing artists like Colombian sensation Karol G, pop icons Jennifer Lopez and Rita Ora, and numerous K-Pop stars with dance routines as a visual guide for their tours and music videos.

Coleman’s positive impact reaches beyond the stage, as seen in her social media presence.

Her prowess has extended to collaborations with a strong following on her TikTok (167,000) and Instagram (68,300) accounts (@edencolemann), with consistently viral content, her recent TikTok videos adding up to about 24 million views.

Brands have also taken notice of her platforms, which has led to her working with high-profile international and local brands including Samsung, Puma, Dr. Martens, F45, JBL, New Balance, Sephora and Benefit.

Despite her success, she’s committed to making a difference and inspiring others.

“I’m humbled and proud of the fact a lot of my dance videos have gone viral, having such a positive impact and inspiring the viewers,” Coleman says.

“It validates that I am making a difference by sharing my talent, remaining true to who I am and proving you can do anything you set your mind to with hard work, integrity and discipline, no matter your age or where you come from”.

Despite facing the adversity of being bullied, particularly during high school, Coleman’s resilience has become a driving force in her career.

Reflecting on those challenges she faced from a young age, she says: “I learnt they’re just reflecting their own insecurities onto me, and it gave me an insight into human behaviour, which only made me more confident within myself and gave me the thick skin you need to survive within this industry.

“I mean it wasn’t easy or fun to deal with, but ironically they did me a favour!”