REVIEW: Diversity's incredible Genesis show will leave you amazed and in awe

Wow, wow, wow! It's hours since I witnessed dance group Diversity's Genesis show at Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena, and i'm still gobsmacked.
Diversity enter the arena in spectacular style. Photo courtesy of Dom Henry for the Motorpoint Arena NottinghamDiversity enter the arena in spectacular style. Photo courtesy of Dom Henry for the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham
Diversity enter the arena in spectacular style. Photo courtesy of Dom Henry for the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham

The incredibly talented team undoubtedly have a firm — and well justified — place in the hearts of the public after winning Britain’s Got Talent back in 2009.

But without phenomenal skill, dedication and an insatiable commitment to their art, they would surely have quickly faded from the memory as so many before and since them have.

However, eight years on they are still forging ahead and show no signs of slowing with their latest arena tour. Far from it, under the guidance of Ashley Banjo they continue to go from strength to strength and push the boundaries of dance.

All their talents were on display for a packed and vocal audience in Nottingham in a performance that had just about everything — an engaging story, perfect soundtrack, pyrotechnics aplenty and an incredible array of sensationally choreographed energy-sapping dance routines.

Genesis is the concluding part of their super hero fantasy epic and follows ‘Limitless: The Reboot’.

As ‘Protectors’, the crew have returned to their normal life but their world is about to be turned upside down as the ‘Destroyer’, who they thought they had finished, returns.

The protectors must enhance and hone their individual skills and unite in a bid to beat the Destroyer before he can take control of a mythical sphere that has the power to obliterate civilisations.

Diversity in action on the night. Photo courtesy of Dom Henry for the Motorpoint Arena NottinghamDiversity in action on the night. Photo courtesy of Dom Henry for the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham
Diversity in action on the night. Photo courtesy of Dom Henry for the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham

What follows is two hours-plus of action told through the medium of dance and perfectly pitched and balanced throughout.

From pint-sized genius Theo’s simulator putting the protectors to the test to an emotive and ethereal dance between Ashley and his love interest Ava, the action flows superbly.

There is time travel, a taste of spiritualism, an incredible routine performed to Will Smith’s Wild, Wild West in a frontier saloon, a slice of comedy at the start of the second half, an incredible Olympic-esque rings routine in which a trio of the members wow with incredible strength, tragedy and personal turmoil.

Plus the finale (without spoiling the outcome) is something to behold as it brings the show to a fitting crescendo.

Diversity in action on the night. Photo courtesy of Dom Henry for the Motorpoint Arena NottinghamDiversity in action on the night. Photo courtesy of Dom Henry for the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham
Diversity in action on the night. Photo courtesy of Dom Henry for the Motorpoint Arena Nottingham

And all of this is played out in front or a giant video screen, a huge, moving platform from which the dancers leap and two runways that bring the action into the crowd.

Hats off to Banjo and his brother Jordan, Sam and Mitchell Craske, Ike Chuks, Perri Kiely, Warren Russell and Terry Smith.

But I’m sure they would be among the first to point it out if I didn’t also pay tribute to the cast of dancers, singers, stage hands and crew who do an incredible job and play a pivotal role in such an incredible show.

The motto of Diversity is ‘dream, believe and achieve’.......and if the evidence provided by Genesis is anything to go by, the guys buy into this completely and can continue as real crowd pleasers.

After the event Ashley led the team in thanking the audience for their ongoing support.

But I thank him and the Diversity family.....the show proves that Britain really has got talent!

Diversity’s Genesis tour continues and more details of venues, dates and tickets can be found by clicking here to visit the tour website.

For more details of future shows at Nottingham’s Motorpoint arena click here.