Diversity (dance troupe)
Diversity |
|---|
Diversity are a street dance troupe who are best known for winning the third series of Britain's Got Talent in May 2009.
The group was formed in 2007. In their first year together they won the UK National Street Dance competition.[1][2]
Members
Formed in 2007,[3] the troupe are made up of members from East London (Dagenham, Leytonstone), and Essex and comprise three sets of brothers and four of their friends. Some are still at school or university but the older members include an IT systems engineer, a bathroom installer, and a telephone salesperson.
The group, ranging in age from 13 to 25 during the filming of Britain's Got Talent, are: Ashley and Jordan Banjo; Mitchell and Sam Craske; Ike Ezekwugo; Perri Luc Kiely, Ian, Jamie, and Matthew McNaughton; Warren Russell; and Terry Smith.[4]
The group's leader and choreographer is Ashley Banjo, a university physics student. He said "from the age of 14 I started to teach myself routines".[5]
Britain's Got Talent
The group won the third series of Britain's Got Talent. All the judges praised their performance with Amanda Holden saying 'this show is just so brilliant because just when I think I've seen it all and nothing could get any better you came on'.[6] Piers Morgan described Banjo's choreography as 'genius' and said they were 'right up there with the best of the dancers we've seen'.[6]
Diversity competed in the semi-final on 24 May 2009 and battled it out for a place in the final based on the judges' vote. They won and went through to the final on 30 May 2009.
Diversity were announced as the winners of the final despite 20-1 odds[3] having received 24.9% of the total votes.[7] Simon Cowell said about Diversity's final performance: 'If I had to give marks on that, this would be the only performance tonight I would give a 10 to. It was sheer and utter perfection, what you just did there.'
As winners of the competition Diversity will now perform before the Queen at the Royal Variety Show in December.[8]
After Britain's Got Talent
Diversity have been confirmed as performers at the Wireless Festival in Hyde Park, London on 5 July 2009.[9] They will also appear in the 3-D film StreetDance alongside fellow Britain's Got Talent dance group Flawless and previous winner George Sampson.[10][11] The film is due to release on late 2010. The group appeared on Larry King Live on June 6, 2009 to talk about their future plans.
Notes
- ^ Smith, Lizzie (31 May 2009). "Dance troupe Diversity in shock victory over Susan Boyle in Britain's Got Talent final". Daily Mail. Associated Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
- ^ Leach, Ben (30 May 2009). "Diversity beat Susan Boyle to win Britain's Got Talent". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 30 May 2009.
- ^ a b At-a-glance "Britains got talent finalists". BBC News Online. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
{{cite news}}: Check|url=value (help) - ^ Palmer, Emma (22 May 2009). "Talented dance group visits sick children". Echo News UK. Retrieved 30 May 2009.
- ^ McGarry, Lisa (24 May 2009). "Britain's Got Talent: Can Diversity Beat Flawless?". UnrealityTV. Retrieved 30 May 2009.
- ^ a b "Britain's Got Talent: Show 3 2009". Throng. 25 May 2009. Retrieved 30 May 2009.
- ^ "Talent results watched by 18.5m". BBC Online. BBC. 31 May 2009. Retrieved 31 May 2009.
- ^ "International Business Times". International Business Times. 30 May 2009. Retrieved 30 May 2009.
- ^ "DIVERSITY added to Sunday line-up at Wireless". Wireless Festival. 1 June 2009. Retrieved 1 June 2009.
- ^ "Talent winners to star in 3D film". BBC Online. BBC. 2 June 2009. Retrieved 2 June 2009.
- ^ Reynolds, Simon (2 June 2009). "Diversity, Flawless,Aiden Davis cast in UK dance film". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2 June 2009.
