The much anticipated Southside Arts Festival opens this week and Auckland Council, which organises the festival, says it will be a rare opportunity to see top Kiwi artists perform live before they leave for overseas work.

"Many of this year’s acts are very successful on the world stage and some spend a lot of time working overseas," says Festival Coordinator, Leisa Siteine.

"The festival is one of the few opportunities to see top New Zealand talent on home turf," says Siteine.

This includes world hip-hop champions ReQuest Dance Crew, who danced with Jennifer Lopez earlier this year.

ReQuest dance crew have recently been awarded a two-year long contract to dance in a brand new Cirque Du Soleil show, which Parris Goebel, who established the crew five years ago, will be choreographing. Parris first appeared at Southside Arts Festival in 2010.

Parris and ReQuest are both expected to leave New Zealand soon to begin working in the show but they will be performing this coming Saturday 13 October at the premiere Southside Arts Festival event, Southside Gig, at TelstraClear Pacific events centre.

This is thought to be one of the last times that the girls, who formed as a crew in 2007, will perform together in New Zealand before they leave to begin working in Cirque Du Soleil.