Pic: Justin Downing-Sky1HD
Viewers have voted east London dance group Unity UK through to the live finals of Sky1’s Got to Dance next week.
Tashan Muir, 25, from Walthamstow, had led them in performing their piece ‘The Hunger of East London’, receiving standing ovations from all three judges.
Muir said: “We’re over the moon – or should I say stars. We couldn’t thank the public enough for voting for us because it means so much to us that they appreciate our hard work and our style of dance and music.”
“I love you east London, all day every day! Thank you for grime!”
The troupe described the piece, which can be seen on Sky’s website, as “fast, hard-hitting and raw.”
Front-man of dance group Diversity and fellow east Londoner Ashley Banjo stood on his chair to praise the performance as “original, creative, and led by a very inspiring man in Tashan.”
He said: “[Unity UK] gave one of the best performances, if not the best performance, of the live semi finals.”
Judge Adam Garcia said: “Ballistic, I can’t speak, it absolutely floored me.”
Unity will compete with nine other acts for the final prize: Kazzum, Tayluer & Elliott, Prodijig, Fear Of The Unknown, Boadicea, Sweet Surprise, Antics, A Team, and Methods of Movement.
Tia Anderson, 18, Bexleyheath, who has been with Unity UK for 4 years, said she feels nervous but excited about getting through to the finals.
She said: “It was such an amazing feeling to get a standing ovation…for the final we’re a little behind as we only have a week to prepare but we’re working like crazy to get the new set done, and can’t wait to get back on that stage.”
The live finals will take place on March 4 at London’s Olympia venue before 6000 people and hundreds of thousands of home, with Unity performing a piece called ‘The Celebration of East London’. Tune in to Sky 1 at 6pm to see who takes home the prize.
