Mayyas, the all-female dance group from Lebanon, stunned the audience with their superb synchrony during Britain's Got Talent: The Champions. While the winners of Arabs Got Talent 2019, were eliminated during the third heat, they left a lasting impression and earned a standing ovation from the audience and the panel of judges: Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams.
“Absolutely genius, brilliant, inventive. Never seen a dance like this ever on any of these shows,” Cowell, a renowned English TV personality, said of the group who brought some serious female empowerment to the show. Williams was also blown away. “It was one of the most beautiful things I ever seen," the English comedian said. "This is one of those acts where it only works if every one of you is doing their piece perfectly and every one of you did.” Fellow judge Holden also praised Mayyas, the first all-female group to win Arabs Got Talent, describing the choreography as so “intricate, precise, and disciplined.”
While representing Arabs Got Talent, the dance troupe with over 30 members aged between 15-22 performed an Arab-inspired routine. Their two-minute “very enchanting and mysterious” sequence, as singer Dixon described it, was performed in front of a pyramid on a flame-fuelled stage. Using lots of harmonious “armography,” they moved to music by Umm Kulthoum dressed in golden outfits and bearing evil eye symbols on their hands.
During the competition, which is aired on ITV, winners from the last 13 Britain’s Got Talent (BGT) series, as well as the most gifted and memorable Got Talent acts from around the world go head-to-head. Two out of nine acts from each of the five heats make it through to the grand finale. One of the judges, or the hosts Ant and Dec, press the Golden Buzzer to declare one of the winning performances, while the second one is selected by the audience in the stadium. The ultimate champion takes home a cash prize and coveted Champions Trophy.
During the third round, Mayyas were up against several acts from BGT. These included Richard Jones, a magician who won in 2016, and two finalists, comedian Jack Carroll and Canadian illusionist Darcy Oake. Salsa dancers Paddy & Nico and Welsh singing duo Richard and Adam also competed against them. The international entertainment included rock opera singer Christina Ramos, a Spain’s Got Talent winner, young DJ Arch Jr, a South Africa’s Got Talent champ, and Holland's Got Talent winners, The Fire. However, it was ultimately two of the British acts, Paddy & Nico and Oake, who made it through to the grand finale.
