Diversity Perform Powerful Black Lives Matter Routine On 'Britain's Got Talent'

Diversity burst back onto screens last night with a powerful Black Lives Matter routine.

The dance troupe wowed audiences and left them in tears at the semi-final of Britain's Got Talent series 14 when they performed a routine based on the events of 2020.

It begins with Diversity's lead dancer Ashley Banjo telling the 'story' of 2020 to a young boy.

The troupe depict consumerism and loss of connections in a pre-Covid world - "It was a world of waste and wonder, of poverty and plenty," a voiceover of Banjo speaks - before moving on to a segment about coronavirus hitting.

"But then in 2020 and new virus came our way, the governments reacted and told us all to hideaway," speaks Banjo as the troupe dance around the set. "But while we all were hidden under orders of the Prime Minister, people dusted off their instincts and noticed something more sinister.

"Another disease, deep-rooted in our system - fear hate and ignorance, but racism was the symptom."

In a powerful moment, Banjo lies on his stomach with his arms behind his back, while another troupe member - playing a policeman - kneels on his neck. The moment depicted the death of George Floyd, who was killed by police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis in May.

His death sparked international protests and with the Black Lives Matter movement at the heart.

Next, the troupe perform an incredible routine with a female dancer attached by bungy strings in the centre, while a vocalist sings the words "I can't breathe" - the words George Floyd repeatedly spoke to police officers moments before his death.

The performance won a standing ovation from crowds and the Britain's Got Talent judges, while over on social, people were brought to tears.

"What a performance tonight by Diversity. Had me in tears," one fan wrote.

"That wasn't a performance, it was art. @AshleyBanjo and @Diversity_Tweet literally gave me goosebumps the whole way through this. Powerful and strong," said another.

"That diversity performance was absolutely phenomenal, so informative, so emotional, so powerful, and needs to be seen everywhere, wow wow W O W #BGT," raved a third.

There's a dance that will be talked about for years. Just wow.

Featured Image Credit: ITV

Topics: Entertainment, Life,

Ciara Sheppard

Ciara is a freelance writer working for Tyla. After graduating with an English Lit and Media degree from the University of Sussex, Ciara held jobs at GLAMOUR and Yahoo Style before packing up for a solo travelling trip around South America.

@ciarasheppard