and backstage with show judge David Walliams
A dance troupe from Ystrad Mynach were a credit to Wales on ITV talent show Britain’s Got Talent, despite not making it through to the next round of the talent competition.
The Ystrad Fawr Dancers, from the New Cottage Dance Centre, impressed three of the four judges on the live semi-final show, which aired on Sunday, May 22, but left hard-hearted Simon Cowell cold.
The judge described their routine, to a medley of Beyonce tracks, as “lazy”.
The group, made up of 13 girls and three boys aged between 14 and 27, had wowed Cowell and the other judges in the previous round with their routine set to a medley of Michael Jackson tunes.
But practice time was against the group this time around.
Teacher and choreographer Carol Perry said the dancers were hindered in the live show after they had two previous routines rejected by producers because the TV show could not get copyright clearance for the music they wanted to use.
As a result, producers told the Ystrad Fawr Dancers they had to do a routine featuring music by singer Beyonce.
Mrs Perry, who has been running New Cottage Dance Centre with husband Phillip for 38 years, said: “It was an amazing experience for the dancers – once-in-a-lifetime. Hardly anyone gets the chance to participate in a live TV show.
“They all did fantastically well, but I would’ve liked to have had our music – I feel we would have been even better.
“Unfortunately we weren’t in that situation but we had a go and we did our best.”
Mrs Perry added: “They were a credit to the dance centre, their parents and Wales really.”
Despite Simon Cowell’s harsh assessment, the other judges lavished praise on the dancers, with David Walliams particularly impressed.
Post-show, the comedian invited the dancers backstage to meet them.
Mrs Perry said: “He was wonderful with the dancers. He was very impressed with them and thought they should have done much better.”
It was a tough show to be on, with TV producers putting two other acts from Wales against the dancers – and potentially splitting the public vote.
Despite the disappointment, Mrs Perry said she would be prepared to put in the work again to go on Britain’s Got Talent for a second time – if the dancers wanted it.
The work involved in preparing for the show was also made harder with several of the dancers trying to fit in GCSE revision in between rehearsals.
Several dancers also had to sit an exam first thing on Monday morning after Sunday’s live show.