Dudley News
Disaster strikes Kingswinford teen's dance group ahead of TV semi
5:05pm Monday 6th February 2012
A KINGSWINFORD teenager, who is set to appear in a popular TV show this weekend as part of a dance group, is hastily learning a new routine after disaster struck one of its members.
Joe Priest, aged 18, is one fifth of Antics Dance Crew, who are currently semi-finalists in the Sky1 show ‘Got To Dance’.
The group comprising Oscar McDevitt, aged 18, from Tividale, and 21-year-old Matthew Grieh, Jordan Breakspear, aged 20, and 20-year-old Nathan Marsh, from Birmingham are set to appear in the semi’s on Sunday in their bid for the £250k prize.
In a campaign for votes, the group have spent the last few weeks visiting as many schools as possible and last week stopped off at Joe’s former schools – Bromley Hills Primary and Crestwood School, as well as visiting Thorns Community College in Quarry Bank to perform their acrobatic routines for staff and pupils.
However it was during their performance at Thorns that disaster struck, when Matthew slipped during his final back flip and fractured his jaw in three places after hitting his chin on the floor.
Paramedics were called to the Stockwell Avenue school and Matthew was taken to hospital, where doctors operated and inserted a metal bar in his chin and three screws in his mouth.
The dancers will now perform as a four-piece during their Sunday routine, but have their fingers crossed Matthew will be ready to perform again if they make it through to the final.
Joe, who is currently studying urban dance at University of East London, said: “The show have been great following the accident and have given us extra time with their choreographers as we have had to completely change our routine for a four-piece.
“We knew exactly what had happened when Matthew hit the floor. He landed the flip too low. It was right at the end of the routine and the music had finished, so we heard the noise and there was quite a lot of blood.
“Thankfully he is doing well. We have seen him and in himself he is okay, but his face is very swollen and his mouth is wired, so he can’t talk.
“It has been a difficult few days as I’m having to go to and from university and we have had to work really hard learning a new routine.
“The show is going to explain what happened to obviously say why there are only four of us instead of five.
“But we will be giving it everything we have on Sunday and doing it all for Matthew.”