While “America’s Got Talent” features a wide variety of talented individuals from diverse paths of life, it’s surprising that very few dog acts have made it to the show’s final stage. The first was Season 7’s winners Olate Dogs, and more recently, Adrian Stoica and Hurricane, who took the winning prize in Season 18.
That’s why the hopes were high when the impressive dancing duo Roni Sagi and Rhythm auditioned in the 19th Season of “America’s Got Talent”, and advanced in the competition without much trouble. Though many were disappointed by their eventual loss, Roni and Rhythm gained enough popularity in the show to expand their brand beyond TV.
Stay with us to learn more about Roni Sagi and her dog Rhythm, what they do outside TV, and how rich they’ve become thanks to their charming routines.
Who Are Roni Sagi & Rhythm?
From the very beginning, the woman-and-dog team dance duo Roni Sagi and Rhythm left the audience and judges equally impressed with their energetic performance, dancing in a way that is vastly different from other dog acts featured before in the show.
The uniqueness of Roni Sagi and Rhythm’s show was enough to take them to the top spots of the competition, and increase interest in them. Sooner than later, the Israel-born Roni and her four-legged dance partner Rhythm were featured in important news sites such as the Los Angeles Times and NBC. It was to the former that Roni revealed that her love for dogs started very early in her life, when she would beg her mother to bring a puppy home, and often played around pretending she was a canine.
The first of Roni’s dogs was Poppy, a white rescue dog she considered her ‘bestie’ right away. At one point in her early life, Roni’s interest in dancing increased, following the steps of her older sister Sol.
However, unlike her sister who eventually started a hip-hop dance company, Roni didn’t become a professional dancer, and instead searched for very different, dog-related professional paths.
Business & More
Following the steps of her mother, her 20s saw Roni Sagi fostering dogs without expecting her life to change in many ways. One specific canine with behavioral issues had Roni learning about dog therapy and training, eventually becoming a professional in the field.
Some years later and with enough experience on her back as a dog frisbee trainer, Roni found out about freestyle dancing competitions for dogs. Watching videos from international events of this style was life-changing for Roni, not only because it combined her love for dogs and dancing, but also because it fascinated her how intense the activities were.
Roni began learning freestyle dancing for dogs in 2019, just two years before she was placed third in the Open European Championships, alongside a border collie she rescued and trained for. Though she retired the canine from competing as he grew increasingly distracted on large stages due to the excess of lights and sounds, she didn’t retire from that hobby.
Around the same time, Roni adopted Rhythm as a puppy, and quickly noticed he had a habit of crossing his paws curiously. She trained him to dance with her, turning his paw-crossing ways into his brand dance moves. Alongside Roni, Rhythm is now the face of her business Keta Tov, which focuses on furthering the connections between dogs and humans through dance.
Although it’s unclear how much money Roni and Rhythm have made with their performances, it’s clear that their business is doing great, especially after getting such a positive spotlight in “America’s Got Talent”.
Roni Sagi, an #Israeli dog trainer, along with her #dog Rhythm, impressed the judges on the American reality show "America's Got Talent" with their captivating dance duet. We're cheering for you, Roni! Best of luck in the next round! 🇮🇱🐶 pic.twitter.com/xeSR28AT9z
— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) June 13, 2024
Debut On AGT
The first time we saw Roni Sagi & Rhythm in “America’s Got Talent” was in the third episode of the 19th season. Once Sagi and her four-legged dance partner set foot on the stage, the audience instantly fell for the charms of Rhythm, who not only didn’t look nervous or overwhelmed, but also seemed to enjoy the attention, as well as looking up to Sagi with adoration.
The duo’s heartful debut performance of Sia’s “California Dreamin’” had the four judges standing up with the rest of the audience. Though they didn’t get a Golden Buzzer, Sagi and Rhythm’s spot in the show was a no-brainer during the deliberation process.
The season’s quarter-final episode saw Roni and Rhythm dancing to Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” and “Bohemian Rhapsody”, which gained them standing ovations from the judges and audience. While commenting on the routine, Howie Mandell admitted that if he had a Golden Buzzer available, he would give it to Roni and Rhythm, and similar enthusiastic comments were given by the rest of the judges.
That second night, Roni and Rhythm gained enough votes to continue in the competition. It was an emotional moment for Roni though, as she dedicated the performance to her father who had recently suffered in an accident.
Rise To The Top
The third appearance of Roni Sagi & Rhythm in “America’s Got Talent” was during the semi-finals episode. In it, their 1980-ish routine to the rhythm of Irene Cara’s dance-pop hit “What A Feeling” left no doubts about deserving their spot in the competition, as the pair once again showed that their connection isn’t only two best friends, but authentic dance partners.
After seeing Rhythm showing the best of his trademark crossed paws dance move, it was unsurprising that the pair passed to the next stage of the competition. It was during the Finals that the dance duo performed to the beat of “Scars to Your Beautiful” by Alessia Cara, gaining standing ovations for it.
During the grand finale episode, Roni and Rhythm teamed up with fellow dance groups Hakuna Matata Acrobatic and Brent Street, performing a mash-up routine which showed their abilities to the best advantage. It was this performance that gained Roni and Rhythm a spot in the season’s top five contestants, beaten only by singer Richard Goodall.
Though the final results were received with mixed opinions from people who wanted to see Roni and Rhythm win, the duo seemed content with the results.
Social Media Reach & Future
Despite not winning the top spot in “America’s Got Talent”, their participation in the show gained Roni Sagi & Rhythm more than just an exciting experience. As seen in Roni’s Instagram, she now has half a million followers, and continues growing on the platform.
Though Roni’s Facebook and YouTube channel have considerably fewer followers than Instagram, this hasn’t stopped her from benefiting from huge amounts of media coverage and spotlight on her business Keta Tov.
All in all, there’s no denying that the whole “America’s Got Talent” experience has been positive for Roni and her beloved Rhythm, certainly assisting considerably their professional endeavours, as well as contributing to their obvious enjoyment.
