Boroughs United - Hackney’s young people bring top London talent into the spotlight
Tenth annual Boroughs United showcase - see photos here
London’s top young breakthrough acts shone under the spotlight this weekend in a talent showcase organised by young people in Hackney.
The tenth annual Boroughs United performance saw unsigned singers, dance groups, comedians and fashionistas do their thing on the Hackney Empire stage on Sunday (January 30).
The show, run by young people from The Crib youth club, based in the De Beauvoir Estate, in Balmes Road, encourages collaboration between young Londoners, promotes their positive achievements and takes a stand against gun and knife crime.
All the performers are aged nine to 25 years old and past show-stoppers have included Britain’s Got Talent winners Diversity and X-factor winner Leona Lewis.
Among this year’s performers were Britain’s Got Talent runners-up Twist & Pulse.
Hoxton dance group Ebonessence Juniors won the Under 13s overall category at Boroughs United.
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J-Sol from Essex came first in the Over 13s Singing competition followed by Southwark’s Misunderstood and Hackney’s E&J.
Another Hackney dance group, Esentrick won the Over 13s Dance category while Alliance Music and Spyrol & Evan Williams came second and third in the Over 13s MCing challenge, following Greenwich’s Stars with Bars in first place.
Janette Collins of The Crib said: “It was absolutely great. We had a good turn out from all the different boroughs and they all came together. The young people felt very safe and thought the show was fantastic.
“Over the past 10 years we have had a non-violent show and everyone works together really well.
“A lot of young people recognise the importance of boroughs mixing together and don’t look at Hackney as a borough to be scared of any more.”
