Acrobatics, synchronization, and eccentricity – that’s what Japanese dance group Avantgardey delivered during their unforgettable run in the 18th season of “America’s Got Talent” – “AGT”.
Right from their audition, the troupe showed the best of their skills to upbeat Japanese music, while wearing identical clothes and wigs, delivering a unique and spirit-lifting performance that had everyone, including the judges, greatly impressed. Though many were heartbroken to see the troupe not winning the competition, the experience brought Avantgardey huge levels of fame, and opened many doors for them in Asia and the rest of the world.
So what’s Avantgardey doing since the last time we saw them in “America’s Got Talent”? Keep with us to find out more about them!
What Are They Doing Now?
Life has been great for the Japanese troupe Avantgardey since their appearances in “America’s Got Talent”. While the group was already working their way to the spotlight long before setting foot on American TV stages, the truth is that the Simon Cowell-headed competition show did wonders to catapult them to worldwide fame, so opening new and exciting professional doors for them.
Since 2023, Avantgardey has had a never-ending increase of social media followers, who either discovered them in “America’s Got Talent” or through the internet. The troupe has also held shows in Malaysia, South Korea, Indonesia, and Hong Kong – the troupe has also secured advertising deals with local companies in the latter.
While Avantgardey’s record-time breakthrough in the Asian market is impressive, American audiences have not been blind to the uproar the identical-wig-wearing dancers have caused. That has become evident from the positive coverage they’ve received from Western Asian-culture-centered websites and magazines, which have also been very interested in the troupe’s creator and choreographer Akane Kikaku, resulting in many English language interviews
Avantgardey dancers also haven’t gone unnoticed by fans, as each dancer has attracted thousands of followers on social media in a very short time, successfully pushing their individual careers forward.
“America’s Got Talent”
‘Unique’ and ‘impressive’ are two words which perfectly describe Avantgardey’s “America’s Got Talent” performances. Right from the moment they set foot on the show’s stage for their audition, it was clear that everyone was up for a fun time, if the dancers’ identical clothing, aesthetic, and funny expressions were any indication. In fact, as soon as Avantgardey started their performance, they took no time to gain the audience and judges’ approval by delivering top-notch synchronized dance moves and acrobatics.
The troupe’s eccentricity was the perfect addition to an already impressive performance, so it wasn’t surprising that the judges’ response was positive, to the point that the usually sceptical Simon Cowell thanked them for traveling from Japan to perform in the show. The judges’ approval played a huge positive role in the end, as Avantgardey didn’t receive enough audience votes to remain in the competition, but were saved from elimination by Howie Mandel’s wild card.
Avantgardey’s second performance in the qualifiers saw them dancing to an upbeat and dramatic song while delivering an energetic performance, gaining the audience and judges’s standing ovation. A similar story happened during the finals, when they danced to ABBA’s “Money, Money, Money”, making it the first time they’d performed to an English-language song in the show.
The finale saw Avantgardey reprising their audition performance song “Cinderella Honeymoon” by Hiromi Iwasaki. Unfortunately, they didn’t receive enough votes to enter the top five contestants, yet their run in the show was incredibly memorable.
Background
Avantgardey’s “AGT” was the first time that a huge part of American audiences saw them in action. However, at that point, the troupe had already been active for several years while working their way up to worldwide fame.
In an interview with The Japan News, the group’s choreographer Akane Kikaku affirmed that the inspiration for the group came from the music and women’s fashion of Japan’s late 1980s and early 1990s economic bubble era. Despite the evident complexity of Avantgardey’s choreographies, Akane affirms that the dance moves are simple and fit for beginner dancers.
The 1980s club-ish inspiration of the troupe, plus their high energy and aesthetics, were enough to attract more dancers to it. One of them is Sono, who now often takes Avantgardey’s dancing center, but initially joined the troupe because she found the mix of synchronized moves and open showcase of emotions in Avantgardey’s work extremely appealing.
The dance group has worked intermittently since 2017, with the 2020’s COVID-19 restrictions also taking a toll on their activities. However, Avantgardey has survived despite the adversities, and the resignation of some of its members over the years, eventually resuming its activities in 2022.
Rise To Internet Fame
From the moment that Avangardey resumed their activities after COVID, it didn’t take long for them to build a visual identity which goes beyond their dance moves, encompassing fashion, aesthetics, and typical Japanese everyday pieces, such as the indoor shoes they wear to dance.
Later, in 2023, Avantgardey achieved an important milestone in their career by collaborating with DJ Steve Aoki, appearing alongside the worldwide renowned musician on social media videos, and even taking part in his early 2023 tour. It was the latter performances which took the attention of an “America’s Got Talent” producer, who invited them to take part in the show’s 18th season, which began filming in March 2023.
Following their breakthrough in the show, Avantgardey has exponentially grown its worldwide audience. These days, the troupe has over a million followers on Instagram alone, which is massive and by far surpasses the following that other contestants from the “America’s Got Talent” season have developed.
Plans For The Future
As seen on Avantgardey’s website, the troupe has a tight schedule, which consists of shows in several Asian countries, including their native Japan. As well, they’ve been collaborating with popular Japanese artists and brands, which has done wonders to grow their online audience.
In the long run, Avantgardey’s goal is to share the Japanese culture with worldwide audiences. As dancer Sono told to Tatler Asia, Avantgardey’s attention to detail is also a tribute to their country’s culture of arts and craftsmanship. The troupe has big dreams of performing in Las Vegas, which makes their decision to participate in “America’s Got Talent” make all the more sense.
While that dream doesn’t seem so far away ,considering their current success and rapid rise, it’s pleasant to see such a talented and original group as Avantgardey achieving so many great things.
