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How Dance Crew Avantgardey Won the Season's Instant Save Vote
The dance group grabbed a spot in the America's Got Talent Finale last-minute.
Season 18 of America's Got Talent has had some phenomenal Acts, so narrowing them down to the Top 11 has been a challenging feat for voters. And on September 19, dance group Avantgardey made this choice even more difficult with their amazing performance. They even ended up winning the season's Instant Save.
"We have an original dance piece filled with Japanese soul," one of the group members explained during their original mind-blowing Audition, which Simon Cowell described as "genius."
The group of 20 girls from Osaka, Japan, "came to AGT because we want the world to know our name," they said during September 19's their Live Show performance.
"Heidi really loved our Japanese soul. So we are dancing to a Japanese song again. We are a little worried about connecting with an American audience," one group member explained. "We really want to stand out in this competition, but everyone is so talented. We love our new friends, but we are going to fight to get to the Finals."
When they're not dancing together, they have day jobs, which include making noodles, working at an ice cream shop, being a barista, working at a clothing store, serving at a restaurant, and selling cosmetics.
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"But our dream is to perform all the time, all over the world. We want to start a movement."
What happened during Avantgardey's Live Show performance
Before their performance, Host Terry Crews told viewers to brace themselves, because Avantgardey was about to "Explode your idea of what is possible with dance. It is wild, mesmerizing, beautiful, and just awesome." And he was right.
During their quirky routine, they danced to "Idol" by Yoasobi, doing some impressively in-synch choreography with perfect timing.
They started by strutting onstage in matching purple outfits, grabbing their skirts and bobbing their heads intensely. They struck various poses in rapid succession, before moving their feet at lightning speed. They then waved their arms and spun around as the beat changed, not missing a single step.
What the Judges thought about Avantgardey
Heidi Klum: "You're so good! You look like 20 dolls who have come to life all of a sudden. You set yourself apart from all the other dancers because of this unique look that you have and the unique movements that you make. One of my favorite dance troupes."
Sofia Vergara: "It's so weird and scary that I love it. Its like something that I've never seen on the dance floor. You guys are amazing."
Simon Cowell: "I thought that dance has, over the years, gotten more and more boring. And then something changed a year ago. This is a great example of how dance has suddenly got interesting. Because this is so different, and their personalities."
Howie Mandel: "You are so original. You're my favorite in the dance act. You deserve to go to the Finals. You need to be one of the two acts going through. I love the way you move, I love the way you walk, I love everything about you."
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How Avantgardey won the Instant Save
However, on September 20, It was revealed that the 82nd Airborne Division All-American Chorus, and Ramadhani Brothers were voted into the Top 2 during the fifth round of Live Shows and would therefore be moving onto the Finale. So, Avantgardey would have to be sent home.
But, there was still one more spot open, as the Act who would win the episode's Instant Save vote had not yet been revealed.
"The Judges are each going to nominated a wildcard Act that they want to see in the Finals. Now Judges, I'm going to need those names in a couple of minutes. So get thinking," Host Terry Crews told the Judges. The next step would be for viewers at home to vote for their favorite, and whichever act wins the vote, would make it to the Finals.
RELATED: AGT 2023: Watch Avantgardey's "Weird" Dance Audition
Cowell's pick? Chioma and the Atlanta Drum Academy. Sofia Vergara went with Gabriel Henrique, while Heidi Klum chose sword-swallower Herwan Legaillard.
Then, it was time for Howie Mandel's selection. "Its gotta be someone that moves me. And somebody that I believe is original. And something like I never saw," he said. "I gotta see more." His pick? Avantgardey!
After 5 minutes of voting, the act that ended up going through was dance group Avantagardey.
"You are exciting, you are fresh, you are exactly what AGT is all about," Mandel said, clearly excited about the results.
