IRISH DANCE act Prodijig have won the UK dance competition Got To Dance.
The group of seven Irish tap dancers were one of 10 acts competing in the final at London’s Olympia stadium last night in a bid to win the £250,000 prize.
“If we won it would mean the world to us after the countless hours and stress over music,” said lead dancer and choreographer Alan Kenefick, before the group flew to the UK for the live final last week. “We feel like we deserve to win.”
Prodijig were voted into the top three by public vote last night alongside ballet duo Tayluer and Elliot and theatrical dance group Fear of the Unknown. The public voted again after the chosen groups performed routines from the semi-final in front of the three judges, a 6,000-strong crowd and an estimated over one million viewers.
Prodijig performed Chris Brown's song Beautiful People, a song choice that had previously drawn criticism from judge Ashley Banjo in the semi-final, who told the group to be less celebratory and more powerful. Last night Banjo said: "The power is back! If I shut my eyes and try to picture a quarter of a million pounds in dance form that is it!"
Fellow judge Kimberly Wyatt told the group: “You are on an other level!” while judge Adam Garcia said: “You actually have surpassed yourself again.”
The group plan to use the winning money to continue dancing.
“We want to make our own show and tour around the world,” said Kenefick.