Marlee Hightower Reps Team USA On ‘World Of Street Woman Fighter’

MOTIV Crew dance leader Marlee Hightower is a force to be reckoned with.

At only 25 years old, the choreographer/dancer is leading her dance crew up against veteran dancers from all over the world in MNET’s World of Street Woman Fighter. The South Korean series features some of the world’s top women’s dance crews competing in a series of challenges to determine the champion.

Now, with only two weeks left in the competition, MOTIV Crew, aka Team USA, is fighting for their lives to stay for the finale. Considered the underdogs of the series, partly because the show is a week behind for American viewers, MOTIV has proven their worth through the judges’ high marks for the crew. For the team, what they lack in video “views” and “likes,” they make up for with their technical and creative scores.

Hightower acknowledges that there is a disadvantage to the episode airing a week behind schedule for U.S. viewers. By the time many American fans watch the show, voting for a particular video is already closed, and too late to be included in the final results. She gives the Saweetie episode that aired two weeks ago, but only a week for American fans, as an example.

“A couple of days ago, my friend posted the Saweetie mission, and was like, ‘Guys, go vote!’” Hightower shares over Zoom from her hotel in Seoul. “By then, the voting period is done. It really does show that it takes a while for things to travel. So, that’s been tough.”

But for Hightower, it doesn’t bother her that much as she’s more focused on creating dances that she’s proud of. She doesn’t expect handouts or any favoritism. The lowest score due to the number of views isn’t a reflection of their work.

“The judges still take part in ranking us,” she says. “For the most part, the judges have been receptive and encouraging to what we’ve created thus far. There may be a disadvantage, but that doesn’t change the fact that we keep pushing through and trying to make stuff that we’re proud of. Regardless of the outcome, it has to be quality.”

Although the show is promoted as a street dance-type competition, it’s hard to ignore how K-pop has heavily influenced the show, given that the majority of the dancers on the show have choreographed for K-pop groups. When Team USA was first introduced on the show, they were revealed to be experts in the foundations of hip-hop. Hightower admitted they didn’t all know much about K-pop, other than knowing peers who created K-pop choreography. There was even a scene where MOTIV member Ruthie Fantaye was asked to list the K-pop groups they knew and was only able to list BTS.

“I was not very knowledgeable on it, and I knew there was a K-pop mission coming,” Hightower explains. “There was a moment on the show where we were like, ‘How do you define K-pop style?’ I still have a very interesting relationship with what you would consider K-pop because I think it has everything to do with the choices the choreographers make.”

Although Hightower and her crew have competed in several American reality competitions, including World of Dance and America’s Got Talent, she wasn’t sure she wanted to participate in the World of Woman Street Fighter. She didn’t want to do more shows and such, but was finally convinced when Fantaye, who was based in LA, said she’d be down to join MOTIV on this adventure. Hightower began recruiting her members and dancers outside of her crew.

“We got approached to do it, but I never thought to ask [others] or outsource to join the team,” says Hightower. “I started warming up to the idea of agreeing to join the show. Then I sat down and thought about who I would bring together and what would be possible.”

Bella Olsen, Abby Diaz, and Kaidi Lindo were already part of MOTIV, and those Hightower praises were among the strongest from the original team. Breakdancer and Olympian Logan Edra, aka Logistx, had taught at MOTIV a few times, so Hightower knew her from the dance community. Hightower thought a B-girl would be a perfect addition to the show. Logistx had been asked by several other potential dance crews to participate in the show, but felt a vibe with MOTIV. There was no audition process. Instead, after the show reached out to Hightower, they had a few conversations with the producers and were then placed on the show.

“[Being on this show] differs a lot [from American shows] in terms of the content and structure of the show,” Hightower explains. “I’ve never been on a show that’s focused on not just the dance, but also the reality of it and who we are as people, separate from the dance itself. The drama aspect is all very new to me.”

Initially, Hightower felt a significant amount of pressure as the workload began to accumulate. She believes it’s due to Korea’s work culture being a bit more intense than what she’s used to in America. She understands that it’s just their way of life, and she is just to adjust to it, learning together with her team. They all film on a very tight schedule.

“Everyone’s very passionate, and is more about getting the work done,” she says. “In America, it’s about maintaining labor. It’s very different. I’ve had conversations with the show and showrunners, and they [tell me] it’s very different. They’re working with so many different crews from all over the world. Every single part of the world has different standards.”

Hightower does enjoy the experience of being in another country and learning their culture, but does have moments of uncertainty due to not understanding the language or when things get lost in translation. Despite that, the team is loving the attention they’ve received from the show, which is hugely popular in Korea. People have recognized and stopped Hightower on the street, and express their love for the show. She wonders if this kind of attention would transfer when she returns home to Florida.

“I think there is a more niche group of Americans who watch the show,” says Hightower. “Here, this is the show. So, it’s been interesting. I enjoy experiencing the fan culture here because it’s so passionate. The people come with gifts! I just learned what a coffee truck was – where the fans [rent] a coffee truck [for their favorite celebrity]. I’m still so perplexed by it, but I’m so appreciative of it.”

She is also appreciative of the way the show portrays Team USA. She was initially worried about how Americans might be perceived by Koreans, especially since Korea is a relatively homogeneous country. Hightower felt a lot of pressure at the beginning of filming because she was unaware of the reception they’d receive, especially since their style had not been as popular in the competition in the past. She didn’t want to disappoint anyone, especially since they’re representing their country.

“I’ve grown a lot more confident in what MOTIV has to offer,” she reveals. “Initially, I did feel a lot of pressure, but the American people who are watching the show have been really supportive. Even when the Mega Crew Mission came about, I felt that was finally the opportunity to lay everything on the table.”

The Mega Crew Mission required each team to have a large number of dancers participate, regardless of age and gender. The dance video and routine must incorporate cultural elements and a high-angle shot, with a focus on storytelling their national identity.

With the current events unfolding in the U.S. (as well as the ongoing struggle for People of Color), Hightower didn’t want to be ignorant of what was happening in their country. As director for the video titled “We The People,” she says she wanted to represent America honestly, especially in the realm of hip-hop, which has always been about resistance and rebellion. She refused to make the piece happy-go-lucky, and told the story of the diverse faces and cultures in America that have struggled at the hands of politics.

“There was no other way to address my feelings,” she explains. “The MEGA CREW MISSION was finally time to represent the U.S.A. and what is [currently] happening in the U.S.A., and let that be known to the rest of the world.”

Mission captured the attention and hearts of many for its symbolism and well-crafted choreography. The judges scored their video highly, receiving a perfect score from the guest judge and former Street Woman Fighter participant, Lia Kim. Hightower had also read the comments from the video from Korean fans, who broke down their understanding of the video, despite many of them never visiting America.

“It shocked me, honestly,” says Hightower. “I didn’t think that people would fully understand it unless they were from America. I was overwhelmed with emotion. It was validating, but also an overwhelming feeling, just because I wasn’t expecting it.”

Hightower felt she was doing something important, telling the world what was going on as an artist and storyteller. As the most diverse group on the series, she felt seen, especially beyond the silly and humorous moments that the show displays.

She does say that the show edits are “very much who we are.” The lighthearted moments are very real, which stand out to viewers. The team’s lack of knowledge about K-pop culture has been a recurring subject of jokes in the series, particularly in their misunderstandings of K-pop styles and the concept of “Ending Fairies.”

Hightower leans back and laughs, thinking about the “Ending Fairy” moment. She admits they were a bit annoyed during the filming of it when they had to hold their pose for an extended period after finishing their dance. They didn’t know why until the Ojo Gang performed afterward and “served face” for the Ending Fairy.

“[The film crew] were helping them correct their posture and poses,” she exclaimed. “We were so annoyed and mad in the moment because we were in competition mode. Why were they doing that? What’s going on? Then, we watched the videos, and you saw us bursting out laughing because we were so embarrassed. Then the episode came out, and I saw the overarching theme of showcasing MOTIV’s lack of understanding of what K-pop has to offer.”

Hightower wasn’t offended by this because she understood what the writers and producers were trying to do. It also made the group look adorable in the eyes of viewers, who saw the group as good sports for their reaction.

“It was cute,” she admits. “I see everything they’re doing.”

As the competition comes to a close, Hightower is still adjusting to this newfound fame. And, how to navigate around it – especially to see if it does change anything when she returns to the U.S. She does feel that she’s grown from being on the series, especially her threshold for pressure. At first, she was gut-wrenchingly nervous (“Like I was gonna throw up”), but as time progressed, she realized she could accomplish this difficult task.

“My nervous system is regulating now, so it’s tested me and made me stronger,” she says. “That’s something I’ll carry on in my life now.”

As for after the series wraps, she won’t have time to relish in her newfound fame as she’s scheduled to participate in the Red Bull Dance Your Style National Final. The Red Bull ambassador admits that she hasn’t thought about the Final because the show has been consuming most of her time and focus. She is excited to return to dancing for the fun of it, “because I really think that’s what dancer style is all about, the more you have fun and the more you engage and bring the audience in with you, and the more they’re receptive to that.”

She does think the show is prepping her mindset for the Final, as she feels stronger regarding her threshold for pressure. “When I do these battles, it’s ‘do or die,’ whether or not we’re going to make it or go home. So, what I’m able to handle and how I’m able to compose myself in the face of extreme adrenaline and intensity is something I’m going to take with me into the National Final.” And, hopefully, for Team U.S.A.