As DSB (How I'll abbreviate it from now on) is premiering in some hours, I've decided to make a post of the 6 groups who will take part on the show debut. Below you can read the biography of the groups which were taken from the DSB site, I didn't write any of them. My work will start tomorrow, as I'll cover the 1st liveshow of the new promise. Come back in some hours for more!

Get to know the contestants after the JUMP ...


Dice

 
They are professional dancers who can back flip, belly dance, hip hop and tap. Dice are a group of 11 individuals in their 20s who have come together especially for the show. They describe the group as a patchwork quilt made up of many different skills and personalities.  They are a multi-cultural group with Jamaican, Italian and Russian heritage amongst the mix! They have many individual strengths; Adam is a Thai Boxer with a History degree and is a brilliant hip hop dancer, Sam can back flip 180 degrees, Yasmin can tap and belly dance, Nick is a contemporary dancer and nearly all of the group can riff. Jason states he can sing with his mouth closed as his party trick! Sometimes the world of performing arts can be a very repetitive and tiring place for the members of Dice, especially when it comes to telling family and friends about auditions and jobs, parents are often sceptical as to how long lived it will all be. Hopefully this competition will change their perceptions forever.

Eschoir

 

Eschoir are a group of guys who want to prove the “boys are back in town” and put a twist on the classic all male choir. Eschoir are a group of male singers from across the capital who, despite originally coming together on a social networking site, now feel they’re as close as brothers. Their aim was to create a male choir who come together just as much to sing as to socialise down their local. To them singing, socialising and being ‘one of the lads’ is one and the same thing and they are in this competition to prove that to the nation. Mike Williams who set up the group grew up with the choral tradition having been in a choir when he was a child growing up in Wales. He wanted to create a group for like minded men in their 20s and 30s in London who wanted to sing more contemporary songs. There is a mix of members within the group. IT consultants sing alongside students and musicians and lots of members are in smaller bands and play gigs across London. They don’t like to think of themselves as a choir – they prefer to think of themselves as vocalists in a large group.

The ClasSix


The ClasSix are a group of quirky, eccentric theatre enthusiasts. After years of relentlessly treading the boards, the 6 flamboyant performers formed their all singing, all dancing group. The ClasSix believe they are so individual and different that they have all the ingredients to win. The ClasSix have been together for just over two and a half months. The group was formed by Loula Geater with the help of Stina who set up a social network group to get professional members together to perform on a regular basis. Loula set it up while she was out of work in order for her to sing again and have something to work towards. Although meeting through a social networking site, they were all aware of each other through the showbiz industry, but some have never worked together before. They now describe themselves as a close group who enjoy each other’s company and sharing their talents. They represent all of Great Britain, with members originally from Scotland, Wales, England and Ireland. All of the group are now living in London trying to make it as professional performers. They currently do not have a rehearsal space and have been rehearsing in Loula’s garden with her Clavinova piano. They are all unique individuals performing as an ensemble and working as a six part harmony. They also have their unique styles within the group, the hairy one (David) the leggy one (Stina), the ginger (Loula), The ‘fat’ one (Fred) the cute one (Ceri) and the commercial hair advert that is Drew. Together they take great pleasure in performing classic songs. They say they want to ‘bring back the classics’, turning the old classics into the new ClasSix. 

Singer Station


Singer Station’s motto is very simple: believe in yourself and accept people for who they are. Singer Station is a charitable organisation with over 50 members- but for this competition the older ones formed a smaller group and took centre stage. The group leader, Louise McFarlane set up Singer Station because she believes that singing should not be a hobby for the privileged, but that it should be accessible and affordable for all. Singer Station is all about individuality and accepting everyone for who they are, even their song choices and costumes help to reflect this inspirational approach. They chose True Colours to perform at their audition because they felt the song’s message told the story of the group’s journey and what they stand for. Individuals within the group have gone through some difficult times, with two members both living in a children’s care home, but use Singer Station as a way to forget all their troubles.

Step Up


This group want to prove there’s more for youngsters in their area than crime. Step Up was started by Nathalie 14 years ago. Nathalie completed a classical singing course at The Guildhall School of music. She runs a music management company and also teaches privately. Step Up Music Theatre School was initially formed from singers and performers that Nathalie taught or worked with. Step Up runs classes at 4 different schools around London in Catford, Essex, Bromley and Blackheath. There is a membership fee to join, however Nathalie has offered scholarships to some members who may not have been able to afford it. Members attend classes on Saturdays, Sundays or Mondays after school. Step Up consists of the elite members of the theatre school hand-picked by Nathalie. Nathalie describes Step Up as a ‘blank canvas’ and is a place where the students can come outside of school, where no one judges them and they are accepted. Nathalie knows how much Step Up means to all the members due to their dedication. As far as she remembers, not one person in this dedicated group has ever missed a class. Many of the members have been through tough times in their personal lives. Step Up is a sanctuary for them to get away from these problems and be able to trust in and talk to people they see as their ‘second family’. All of the members are from different backgrounds and cultures. The parents are very supportive of their children and are happy to contribute to them being part of Step Up. Some of them struggle financially so Nathalie tries to keep the fees as low as possible to help the members out. Some of the older members have part time jobs in shops and pubs to earn money to pay for their classes. Many of them want a career in performing arts and this is where their main strengths lie. 

Manchester Show Choir


The Manchester Show Choir is a community based show choir which raises money for The Christie Cancer Charity. This Charity has touched many of the lives of the choir members and is close to their hearts. The Manchester Show Choir brings its members together and is a means of escapism from their normal and often demanding lives. The Manchester Show Choir was set up by Daniel Wood in 2009. Daniel started the choir as he wanted an opportunity for people to do something a bit different to the popular and classical choirs that are around. They began with 50 members and became so popular that they have even had to set up a waiting list. There is no audition required, anyone is welcome and they arrange all of their own music. Based in Manchester, they are the only community show choir in the area. MSC believe they are the first show choir in the UK. They are different because of the age range, and also because they are all normal people with normal jobs who enjoy singing as something a bit different to everyday life. Daniel has an open door policy whereby anyone is welcome to join and the onus is on having fun. They socialise together often too and in a few weeks they will be making a trip down to London to see the West End musical ‘Wicked’ together. ‘Of Course we can bloody win this!’ says group leader Daniel. He explains that winning ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ would be great for the choir, allowing them all to realise just how much they have achieved, especially as they are not trained and have ordinary jobs. Daniel’s aim is to provide these people with opportunities that they would not get in normal life. They have sung in theatres before, but Daniel sees singing in a TV competition the next natural step. Also, they can’t wait to meet Emma Bunton!
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