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'AGT’ contestant’s unique juggling act had the judges saying the same thing: 'You could have...'

Watch Helen Wonjila’s foot juggling performance that didn’t just impress the judges—it left the entire audience in awe!

On July 10, 2024, Helen Wonjila, who goes by ‘the foot juggler,’ stunned 'America’s Got Talent' judges with her act! Wonjila started by juggling a cloth disc with her foot, and soon she escalated the difficulty level by spinning a 4-legged wooden table in mid-air. As if that wasn’t enough, Wonjila took it to a whole new level: hooping with both hands while simultaneously juggling the table with her right foot and the disc with her left. It was a breathtaking display of coordination and control. Sofia Vergara couldn’t stop raving about the performance. “It was fun; we were all super excited,” She said excitedly. “I could have kept watching... You could have juggled for me for a whole hour,” She added. 

Heidi Klum also commented, “We have not seen anything like this before.” She told Wonjila anticipatedly, “Imagine the things you could be juggling in the next round.” To this, Simon Cowell suggested, “A Pizza.” He further explained: “A Giant Pizza, because people love pizza.” Wolinja responded, “Simon, you build it; I will juggle it.” Howie Mandel also commented, “We love seeing things we haven’t seen before, and you have incredible showmanship and strength and balance. I think your career is gonna take off.” Realizing how rare the act was, Cowell quipped, “ You know what I like about this show this year is that we are seeing acts I have genuinely never seen before... because I thought I have seen it all.”

Wonjila originally hailed from Ethiopia and moved to China on a scholarship. However, there was a twist. When she got to China, she learned that the scholarship was for circus acts and not gymnastics, as per TV Showcase. But instead of turning back, she embraced a completely new craft and became a foot juggler. Fast forward to 'AGT', where her breathtaking performance earned a standing ovation and four resounding yesses from the judges. Overwhelmed with the judges’ response, shared, “It means a lot because so hard. I’m a full-time mom. So, it means a lot... you guys are liking it.” A visibly moved Cowell responded, “When I see acts like this and when I see your daughter and how much this means to you, it's the best feeling in the world.” 

Fans quickly flooded the YouTube comment section after the performance. One viewer gushed, "This is one of the most UNIQUE acts I've ever seen on AGT." Another added, "I’ve watched many foot juggling performances & she’s the first African American that makes juggling more fun & dangerous than ever." The praise kept rolling in with comments like, "This is a classic AGT act where everyone loves her, becomes a judges' favorite, and has a great run." Some fans even expressed their shock about the fact that Wolinja didn't walk out with a Golden Buzzer: "How did she not get a Golden Buzzer? This was amazing. I've never seen anything like that. This is exactly what AGT should be about," One wrote. Another agreed, saying, "Wow! I’ve never seen anything like this. Come on, AGT, she deserved a golden buzzer." 

And perhaps the most heartfelt comment of all: "That was breathtakingly awesome. The fact that she had the strength and skill to juggle all that stuff and balance that table on/with her foot is amazing. I can’t wait to see what else she can do, and I wish her the best.” Fans on Twitter also shared their thoughts. One said, “loved seeing how proud your daughter was also." Another added, "It takes a lot to do that."