Ruby Red Performers are not your typical Britain’s Got Talent dancing act; the 12 females, aged 25 to 64, come from the little hamlet of Withernsea. Their audition began disastrously, with them costumed as washerwomen and doing an unimpressive entrance dance. This prompted Simon Cowell to buzz them off, but it appears he was premature.
Shortly after, the women tore off their clothing, revealing silk nightgowns, and began a fiery dance routine.
The women got in touch with their wild side, and to the tune of BodyRockers’ “I Like the Way You Move,” more and more garments came off onstage. The leisurely introduction elicited a lethargic response from the audience, but as the routine shifted gears, the entire audience began roaring excitedly. The Ruby Red Performers did a racy dance, culminating in a triumphant finish in their undies with British flag tassels.
Despite their unorthodox performance, Ruby Red Performers’ audition had the potential to become a YouTube smash. The amateur burlesque dance troupe’s audition for season nine of Britain’s Got Talent drew 16.7 million viewers. This resulted in one of the most popular dance group performances in the show’s history. The audition is almost impossible to watch without smiling, which is no surprise given how popular it was.
Spectators at home responded positively to the audition, leaving comments such as “I don’t know exactly why, but this made me so happy and made my day!” and “I enjoy your vibes.” I admire your confidence. You showed courage by taking that risk.” For the semifinals, the Ruby Red Performers returned to the stage with a brand new routine.
Simon Cowell was the first to speak out following the audition, saying, “I may have pressed my button a little early.” David Walliams then piped out, stating, “That was brilliantly original and entertaining—fantastic.”
Alesha Dixon added to the adulation, stating, “Ladies, you’ve brightened my day. It kept getting better and better. The bigger picture is that you’re instilling confidence in women. It’s forceful, and I thought it was great.”
Cowell earlier buzzed off the Ruby Red Performers, but they received four yes votes from the judges, advancing them to the next round.