‘AGT’ judges jump to their feet as high school pals defy age and deliver electrifying funk-filled dance
Mel B was left mightily impressed with a dance performance on 'America's Got Talent,' and it's easy to understand why. The 'Spice Girls' alum was seen marveling at a dance performance on the show and gave the team a standing ovation. Not only her, but the Golden Buzzer recipient group also received glowing compliments from Simon Cowell and Howie Mandel, making for a wholesome 'AGT' moment.
The group in discussion is The Funkateers, from Inkster in Metro Detroit, who performed live in the quarterfinals of 'America's Got Talent' on Tuesday, September 9, after earning Terry Crews' Golden Buzzer in their audition, as per MLive. Following their routine to Chaka Khan's 'I Feel For You', Mandel praised them, saying, "You guys are just pure joy. I imagine everybody in America is just smiling; it's just a good feeling that makes me proud to be a part of AGT's 20th season." Mel B gave them a standing ovation, adding, "Let me tell you, old school never fails. You killed it up there. You four are brilliant."
Cowell also praised the group, saying, "I think we all love you. It’s how you make us feel. You obviously are talented, but it is your fun, your friendship, and the fact that you kept doing it. This is everything I love about a great AGT act. One of my favorite acts tonight." Notably, The Funkateer Dancers, founded in 1976 by Ed Miller in Inkster, Michigan, originally included Miller, DeA'mon Ellerson, Tony Warren, Jeffery Healey, Michael Kelley, and Tony Lacey, as per America's Got Talent Wiki.
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Though Ellerson passed away in 2022 and Lacey in 2024, the remaining four still perform together as a quartet. Known for their frequent appearances on Detroit's The Scene in the 1980s, their choreography played a key role in revolutionizing the city’s dance culture. For 'AGT' auditions, the Funkateer Dancers performed to Rick James' 'Give It To Me Baby,' and Crews' Golden Buzzer, sending them straight to the live shows. They also made history as the first act to receive a Golden Buzzer while being the very first performance aired in their audition episode.
On the final night of quarterfinals, Mandel awarded the last Live Golden Buzzer of the season to Team Recycled, as reported by Parade Magazine. The dance troupe from Germany hit the stage with a mission to prove Mel B wrong after she had called their audition "boring." "This is our passion, but we all have day jobs," their spokesperson explained, while adding, "We have fitness instructors, teachers, filmmakers, students, and even a lawyer." Calling himself a hardcore millennial, he admitted, "I love the Spice Girls, so when Mel B made her comment, my feelings were hurt."
Ahead of taking the stage, he added, "We need to step it up from last time. We have to think out of the box. We want to put everything that we have on the table. We want to prove Mel B wrong. We can win this." And they did just that, delivering a high-energy, visually stunning routine. Mandel praised them, saying, "Tonight was kind of disappointing because I was looking for an act that would step it up. I was looking for an act that could possibly win this whole thing. Nobody has been able to step it up, and I said to myself, 'Can they do it?' And the answer is yes." Mandel then awarded the group the much-deserved Golden Buzzer.