BRITAIN’S Got Talent dance sensation Signature will take centre stage at a charity ball organised by a Wrexham businessman to raise funds for children with a rare disease.
‘Britains Got Talent’ Live on ITV1 Tonight (25-05-2008)
Signature (Michael Jackson variety act)
The following acts appearing on tonights show:
Boogie Wonderland
Kate & Gin
Michael Machell
Dean Wilson
Sophie Mei
Tracy Lee Collins
Phil Blackmore
The world’s number one Michael Jackson dance tribute, who came runners up in the second series of the hit TV talent show and have been complimented by the King of Pop himself, will perform at the eighth annual A-T Spring Ball on Saturday June 8 at Bolesworth Castle in Tattenhall.
Tickets are now on sale for the black-tie event organised by Vaughn Rawson, managing director of Wrexham-based Rawson Digital, and his wife Joanne to help those living with the rare genetic condition known as Ataxia-Telangiectasia (A-T).
The children of Vaughn’s close friends have the disease and Vaughn and his wife have been on a mission to raise funds towards medical research to speed up the process of identifying a cure or developing treatments which can delay or prevent A-T.
To date, Vaughn and Joanne have raised a staggering £230,000 for the cause.
The condition, which affects around 200 children in the UK, is a genetic disease which affects multiple systems of the human body.
Signature dance duo Suleman Mirza and Madhu Singh, whose act was endorsed by music icon Michael Jackson prior to his death, are looking forward to helping make the ball a night to remember for those in attendance. It is the second time they have been involved in the event, as they were there for the inaugural ball in 2012.
Suleman said: “If we can help children’s charities in any way we always try to do that. In this particular case it’s heart-breaking to hear about the condition A-T and the impact it has.
“That’s why we’re really happy to have this night in the diary and to be able to help. We’re going to put a really good show on for everyone. We’ll be bringing our A-game out.”
Signature, who have been hailed as the best ever act on Britain’s Got Talent by the man who created the show Simon Cowell, have gone on to perform their ‘MJ Spectacular’ in 48 countries across four continents since finishing second in the 2008 series.
Suleman said: “When we went on Britain’s Got Talent we didn’t know what to expect. We were naive. I thought I’d just go and do the auction then go back to my 9-5 job as a lawyer.
“It was the beginning of when the show became huge. It was the second series and the ratings went through the roof. Our audition video went viral.
“People say, did it change your lives overnight and it sounds like a cliche but it really did. We’d been doing it in the evenings and weekends as a hobby.
“Then when the audition video aired on the Saturday night I’d go out on the Sunday and Monday and be recognised. It was crazy.”
He added: “Working with Simon Cowell was the highlight for me. He’s as you’d expect, he know what he wants and doesn’t suffer fools gladly.
“There is a misconception about him though. He’s not that bad. If you are willing to work hard he appreciates it, if you’re not then he won’t have it.”
The biggest highlight for Signature was meeting Michael Jackson in person and being told he was a fan of their tribute dance act.
Suleman explained: “I always think certain things are just meant to happen. I’d been a fan from the 80s. I used to follow him during his peak powers.
“It was meant for us to meet him. He was in London on March 5, 2009 at the 02 Arena announcing his ‘This is it’ tour.
“As luck would have it we were scheduled to perform on the X Factor tour with the likes of Alexandra Burke and JLS that day.
“We had backstage passes and he was there. You weren’t supposed to go and meet him but I spoke to his security and they said wait a minute.
“A lot of people wanted to meet him and couldn’t but we were lucky. He’d seen us on YouTube and because of that he came over.
“It was amazing to speak to him and the fact he knew who we were! It was emotional. He was very humble and kind with his compliment.
“It was incredible and surreal meeting him. He was and still is the king of pop.”
Vaughn Rawson, whose fast-growth 50 company supplies and maintains photocopiers and printers, saw last year’s event raise a whopping £30,000.
The money raised is partly donated to Action for A-T, a Surrey-based charity set up in 2011 by the parents of a child with the condition, which seeks to increase investment in A-T research and raise awareness of it.
The other half of the money raised goes into a trust fund which has been set up to help Vaughn’s close friends and their family.
Vaughn, from Gresford, is looking forward to having another successful event although he said it is always a rollercoaster of emotions.
He said: “I love the atmosphere every year and I’m excited to welcome Signature back to our ball who I know will do a great job of entertaining the guests.”
“Not only did the nation fall in love with them on Britain’s Got Talent, the king of pop Michael Jackson was also a fan of their dance act.
“We are really looking forward to seeing their performance and I’m sure it will get people up off their seats.
“I always say that while we look forward to an entertaining night, we must never forget why we are there or the families we are trying to help who are facing the impossible.”
Vaughn added: “The event takes a lot to put on every year and we simply couldn’t do it without the support from our main sponsors who have supported us year after year to ensure the event is a real success.
“We are delighted to announce we have an additional new sponsor this year – Caulmert engineering, environmental and planning consultants based in St Asaph.
“Special mention must also go to our stalwart supports Mercer & Associates Wealth Management, Jolliffe & Co Solicitors and we also have financial support from local Barclay’s Bank manager Paul Ffoulkes.”
For more information about the ball go to www.atspringball.com
Video footage of Signature performing is available here;
