A 5-member crew turned jump rope into jaw-dropping art on ‘AGT’ — and the judges couldn't believe it

"Everything about it I thought was super cool. Very current, I could tell how difficult it was, and it just got better and better," Simon Cowell shared.
PUBLISHED APR 15, 2025
A screenshot of the double dutch crew Waffle and Simon Cowell from an August 2022 episode of 'America's Got Talent' (Cover Image Source: YouTube | Talent Recap)
A screenshot of the double dutch crew Waffle and Simon Cowell from an August 2022 episode of 'America's Got Talent' (Cover Image Source: YouTube | Talent Recap)

The Double Dutch crew, Waffle, stunned the 'AGT' judges with their jaw-dropping moves on the NBC talent competition! During an August 2022 episode of 'America's Got Talent,' Waffle, a five-member crew from Tokyo, left the esteemed judges — Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara, and Howie Mandel — as well as the viewers back home, speechless with their gravity-defying jump-rope skills. For their audition on 'AGT,' the dance group decided to perform on Earth, Wind & Fire’s 'Let's Groove.' By the end of Waffle's act, Cowell was so impressed that he gave them a standing ovation.



 

As per NBC, following their performance, a shocked Klum went on to say, "Oh, wow! What did you think, Simon?" While looking at the dance crew members, Cowell said, "I love you." While gushing over the Double Dutch jump roping performance, Cowell further elaborated, "Everything about it I thought was super cool. Very current, I could tell how difficult it was, and it just got better and better and better. I thought it was brilliant, all of you." When Klum asked Vergara to share her feedback on Waffle's performance, the 'Modern Family' alum told the group, "You guys are so perfect, so in sync. I loved the dancing that you guys were doing. That was amazing."


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Waffle (@watch_waffle)


 

On the other hand, when we talk about Mandel, he is nowhere to be seen in the episode. For those wondering, back in the day, Mandel missed the episode as he had contracted Covid-19 at the time of the filming that took place in April 2022. At last, Klum enthused, "And it went so fast, you kept on changing it up constantly. I love the fashion part of it as well because you're really, like, looking cool while you're doing it." At the end of the day, Waffle received three yeses from the judging panelists, and the dance crew advanced to the next round of the beloved talent show.


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Waffle (@watch_waffle)


 

Once the audition clip of Waffle's amazing performance dropped, the fans flocked to the comments section of the video and raved over it. One social media user wrote, "Ugh, the style, the music choice, the TALENT they are so, so cool!" Another user chimed in, "So smooth and groovy! Love it!" Followed by a third user who penned, "This is what we need—something different. I enjoyed watching this show, and it was so fun to watch. I loved that most of this audition was the engagement with the audience and becoming more confident and understanding. It was really entertaining to watch, and the whole thing was very interesting." A user commented, "Japanese people are so talented, too many!!!"


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Waffle (@watch_waffle)


 

During their audition on 'America's Got Talent,' the Waffle crew, consisting of Taisuke Fukumoto, Elina Mizuno, Kai, Tatsuya, and Daichi Saito, showcased their jump rope skills and won over the hearts of the judges and the fans. However, their journey on the show was too short, as they faced elimination in the deliberations. The dance members of Waffle may be World Double Dutch Contest champions, but they failed to leave a mark on the 'AGT' stage.

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