Having first captured the audience’s appetite for daring moves in 2009 after their Britain’s Got Talent (BGT) win, Diversity has continued to spin a fantastic web of new routines. Celebrating a decade’s worth of dance with their Born Ready tour at the Palace Theatre, the troupe are igniting the crowd by moulding a medley of their greatest hits and modern classics for their latest tour. Covering their journey since their victory whilst looking forward to their future, the group have collated their riskiest moves, including flame-throwing jumps, an underwater excursion and a manmade disco ball dance, to bring the Manchester crowd an audacious spectacle of a show. Stopping to thank fans along the way and introduce the entire team, Born Ready offers a perfect mix of the groups dazzling choreography and personal growth.
Encompassing the street crew’s versatility with behind the scenes footage, the individual performances allow the group's dramatic moves, entertaining acts and distinct personalities to shine through. Opening the show with a look back at the groups BGT win, when the thrill-seeking, little flipper Perry Kiely was thrown around the stage for fun, the show promises to offer more than just a look back at their greatest hits. Nodding to the unique bank of choreography that has made them a household name, Diversity’s newest tour offers an evolved collection of their work that has been developed throughout the years. Rapidly exploding onto the Palace stage, the motley crew pop out with a powerhouse of flips and tricks that now sees Perry big enough to multi-flip (should be a word as I saw it happen) himself around effortlessly.
The original taskmaster Ashely Banjo, who leads as the group’s choreographer, has branched out as a judge on the series Got to Dance and Dancing on Ice, while coaching Diversity Juniors and preserving Diversity with three live tours. Continuing to turn his lifelong passion into an entrancing event, audiences have come together for the ringmaster’s joyful mix of magic, hip-hop music and dance. Alongside the original ten members, the group has recruited new representatives to their team. Opening a space for women, disabilities and the LGBT community, the inclusive and inspiring collection of irrefutably talented dancers makes Diversity an all-embracing, true coalition of diverse dancers.
With new illusions and stunts, the innovative choreography carries the show with no lulls. Between jumping through fire, escape acts and somersaults, the challenging routines push the group to their limits, with an array of standout thrills. One of the countless standout moments sees the original line up boost each other up in a transformer move that stacks the boys on top of each other. With the group sporting named combat costumes as they feverishly ping-ponging into place, their powerful force and focus ensures a consistent live show that leaves the audience stunned.
The street dance groups three-day stay at the Palace theatre reveals the companies unrelenting reputation as a force to be reckoned. Bringing solidarity to the Palace theatres audience, Diversity continues to rep for the dreamers with their fantastic new show focusing on empowerment and celebrating community.