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'AGT' judges squirm as contortionist turns into a 'human nutcracker' and bends body in impossible ways

Ukrainian contortionist Oleksandr Yenivatov’s eerie act won over Simon Cowell, who said, 'Tonight, I love you'

Oleksandr Yenivatov was a contortionist seen on ‘America’s Got Talent’ Season 17.  Taking the stage with his wife and partner, Aurélie Brua Yenivatov, the act had already become a fan favorite during the auditions. Coming from Ukraine, Oleksandr’s routine included performing creepy contortions that left the judges excited and disturbed. He came out of a huge black gate during the Semifinals. As the intriguing music from the movie ‘Pulp Fiction’ began, Oleksandr was seen dancing to it in an eerie manner.

Captivating everyone with his act, Oleksandr introduced a huge spider prop and climbed onto it. The stage set looked like an old Transylvanian mansion. With a smile on her face, his wife helped him with the stretches he was famous for. Aurélie Brua was then seen twisting Oleksandr’s body in ways no normal human being could. While his upper body remained motionless, Oleksandr asked his wife to pull the legs farther away from their usual position. When his legs were behind him, Oleksandr had a happy expression on his face. However, his wife then pulled his right leg and attached it to a string, and held his left leg in one hand. 

Watching Oleksandr's extreme stretch on stage, Simon Cowell held his hand up while also giving a confused expression. As the act concluded, Sofía Vergara said, "It's horrible, it's weird, it's disturbing, and it's fascinating at the same time." She further continued, "I can't believe that a human body can do this kind of thing." Adding to the excitement of the contestant, Cowell stated, “Well, I didn't like the audition very much, but tonight, I love you.” He also mentioned, “You are very, very, both of you, you are really nice people. It was a bit awkward when we first met, and what I love about tonight is that you really pushed yourself and did things we've never seen before.” 

Meanwhile, Heidi Klum stated that she was in shock and could not “believe half the stuff I'm seeing when I'm sitting here." Appreciating his efforts, Klum also called Oleksandr “a human nutcracker." According to Talent Recap, Oleksandr learned his skills in Nikouline Circus, Moscow. Besides his time on ‘America’s Got Talent’ Season 17, Oleksandr has also made appearances on shows including ‘Das Supertalent,’ Germany’s version of 'Got Talent,' as well as ‘Incroyable Talent,' which is France’s Got Talent. He has even been a part of cabaret theaters, festivals, and traditional as well as modern circuses. He is globally appreciated for his acts ‘La Rose,’ ‘Gentleman,’ ‘Sacha The Kalinka Frog,’ and ‘Frankenstein.’

Cowell did not like Oleksandr's act during the auditions and voted against them advancing to the next round. However, he took it back after learning that they came from Ukraine, according to Today. In a pre-recorded video, Oleksandr shared his thoughts on the matter. "When Simon took back his X to honor the people of Ukraine, we felt so much compassion," he said, adding, "So tonight, I perform for peace and I perform for the people of Ukraine."