'AGT' Season 19: Watch AIRFOOTWORKS’s big gamble fall flat after Golden Buzzer win
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA: AIRFOOTWORKS, who advanced to the finals of the inaugural season of 'Japan's Got Talent', has now achieved similar success on the American scene. Can they, however, go the whole distance this time?
Howie Mandel pressed the live Golden Buzzer for AIRFOOTWORKS, a Japanese dance performance group, beating Simon Cowell to the punch. The Season 19 finale of 'America's Got Talent' is the season's most inventive dance act.
Airfootworks defied gravity and expectations! 😍 Their mind-blowing moves left us in awe! #AGTFinals pic.twitter.com/tCZerADiKp
— AGT Auditions (@AGTAuditions) September 18, 2024
The quintet utilized a small scaffold for their dance and acrobatics, incorporating innovative lighting effects. It's the type of stuff that would look good on a Vegas stage. However, this was barely comparable to their Golden Buzzer moment.
Even if they stepped up their performance to match the Vegas requirements (should they win), it was far from a guarantee because voters still remember their earlier performances. As their act has evolved over the weeks, it remains to be seen if they can capture the American title as well.
AIRFOOTWORKS's sensational act wins judges' hearts in 'AGT' Season 19 finale
Following their performance to Coldplay's "Higher Power," Simon Cowell referred to them as "sensational," praising how "smart and so cool" their act was. Heidi Klum described it as "top-notch," while Sofia Vergara found it "so beautiful and so fun." Howie Mandel echoed the sentiment, declaring it "the season of dance" and thanking them for creating something they had never seen before.
AIRFOOTWORKS has one leg up with former 'AGT' winner's mentorship
As stated during their tremendously successful audition, AIRFOOTWORKS has an advantage over the other teams because of a very exceptional mentor. Kenichi Ebina's outstanding performance and dance combination helped him win the 2013 'AGT'.
He has volunteered to coach the four AIRFOOTWORKS members in Season 19, and it's clear that his efforts are paying off, as he was the original inspiration for the group's formation. They advanced straight to the competition's conclusion, skipping America's vote and the Semifinals, thanks to the new Live Golden Buzzer. They now have a strong chance of winning the $1 million grand prize.
'AGT' Season 19 finalist AIRFOOTWORKS claims to be the inventor of the genre
The Japanese air-dancing ensemble AIRFOOTWORKS reflects a distinctive blend of street fitness and dance. Takashi Jonishi, who invented this avant-garde self-taught dancing technique while recovering from a lower back ailment, founded the ensemble.
For their first audition, the group gave an incredible performance to Justin Bieber's 'Where Are Ü Now' under the guidance of 'AGT' alum Kenichi. As pioneers of this unique style of dance, AIRFOOTWORKS promises a novel performance that blends athleticism and creative expression. In addition to being a personal achievement, winning would mark a turning point in the development of air dance as a widely accepted cultural phenomenon praised for its originality, physicality, and aesthetic appeal.
Tune into NBC on September 24 at 8 PM ET to find out the results of 'America's Got Talent' Season 19 finale