Meteoric Rise Of Urban Dance Phenomenon

5:43am UK, Saturday January 08, 2011

Lisa Dowd, entertainment reporter

Streetdancers Flawless are rehearsing for eight hours a day before their upcoming 60-date national tour, as the dancing style's popularity soars.

Streetdancing group Flawless rehearsing

Artistic director Marlon "Swoosh" Wallen said: "I'd say this is like history in the making. I'd say two years ago we'd never imagine having our own tour.

"It's pretty amazing to come to a show to see just Flawless.

"Normally dancers get the opportunity to be behind the artist or in the video, but to be at the forefront and have your brand recognised is phenomenal."

I've tried ballet, it's pretty slow. Street has so much energy involved and it's really expressive, I love it.

Streetdance student

Flawless have already starred in box office hit Streetdance 3D. It brought them, and rivals Diversity, to an even wider audience.

But it was Diversity who took the 2009 Britain's Got Talent crown. The group's lead dancer, Ashley Banjo, now has his own judging role on Sky 1's Got To Dance.

He said "street" is the most popular genre on the show.

"I think it's the fastest growing of all styles because it's one of the newest," Banjo said.

"Take ballet, for example, it's been around a long, long time and its structure is very set. With streetdance, it's changing every day, it's evolving every week, every month".

During their tours last year, Diversity said they sold almost 250,000 tickets and they continue to inspire a new generation of dancers.

Diversity's Ashley Banjo

At the famous Pineapple Dance Studios in London, streetdance classes are packed, with lessons for beginners particularly busy.

As one girl left her one-hour class, she said: "I've tried ballet, it's pretty slow. Street has so much energy involved and it's really expressive, I love it."

Emmanuel Sonubi, a choreographer from Pineapple, said: "It's become more and more mainstream.

"A few years ago, if you did classes, there weren't any streetdance classes around. It was all the classical training.

"But then, with all the reality competitions and the films and even where music videos are going now, it's got more and more towards streetdance. The nice thing is there are a lot more classes for it."