Everyone in the UK knows Diversity, their reputation as one of the most famous breakdancing groups in the world proceeds them. Last year, they won the BAFTA for creating the ‘Must See Media Moment of 2020’ with their Black Lives Matter dance routine on BGT. And now they're on tour around the UK with a new show created by their very own Ashley Banjo: Connected.

Connected explores how we are all... well... "connected" through many things, most notably explored within this show, the internet. The crew walk the stage with LED phones and incorporate them within most of their choreography in truly interesting ways. A full range of routines explore human interactions with the internet, how it affects our daily lives and relationships with others.

In one particularly entertaining section, Perri becomes Periquin, a person bought forward in time from history and has mobile phones explained to him through dance, accompanied by a well written and humorous beat poem. This surprised us, as most people in the audience will only know Diversity from seeing them do one routine full of impressive tricks. In their live shows such as Connected, there is much more theatricality, narrative and depth to their dancing than simply flipping across the stage (which is, of course, far from simple).

Ashley Banjo is an incredible role model. As the host of the evening, he is wonderfully well spoken and charming. It is clear to everyone that this isn't just their job, it's their life. Everyone on the stage lives and breathes dance and it comes across in every movement, never more so than when, in Act 2, a moving film is shown about their 2020 BGT performance and the repercussions of that, thankfully, proudly and triumphantly the team then step out to perform it live to a cheering crowd. Demonstrating resilience with power, it's emotional.

You don't need us to tell you how talented these men are. Over a decade ago, they won a competition proving that, but what we do need to say is that this performance is more than just dancing. It's drama. Theatre made accessible, relatable to those who wouldn't see a ballet or a musical. There's something in this for everyone.

There is also a hint of what is to come more and more in the future, combining emerging technologies with theatre creating something not seen before and truly beautiful. You'll be getting no spoilers from us, but that *soaring* Act 2 routine is worth the price of admission alone.

It is, however, ironic that many audience members were in fact watching this piece (an exploration about how perhaps we use our phones too much, live our lives through them) through the screen of their phone recording the piece. This is perhaps an ongoing discussion surrounding theatre, behaviour and phones that we definitely need not go into, but it is ironic when it is the very subject matter of the theatre in question.

We were of course expecting a high quality of dance, but what we weren't expecting is how much we were moved by the narrative and expressive nature of the piece. We'd recommend this to all, there really is something for everyone.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Callum Wallace

Diversity - Connected tours until June 2022, with tickets for select touring venues available here.