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How Chibi Unity Gave Sofia Vergara Goosebumps and Got the Group Golden Buzzer
There's just one AGT Group Golden Buzzer every season — and dance troupe Chibi Unity earned it.
When dancers connect the dots between music, movement, storytelling, and emotions, brace yourself: It can be that exhilarating. In fact, it can even give you “goosebumps.”
On America’s Got Talent, that’s exactly the impact the audition by Chibi Unity, a dance troupe from Japan, had on Sofia Vergara.
“My heart was beating,” she said.
Her fellow Judges were equally buzzed, so much so they used the Group Golden Buzzer.
What to know about Chibi Unity
Hailing from Niigata, Japan, Chibi Unity is an award-winning dance group known for their fast-paced choreography, precise isolations, and expressive and muscular movement that fuses various dance styles.
RELATED: A List of All The Times Simon Cowell Pressed the Golden Buzzer On America's Got Talent
On AGT, dancers incorporated huge bolts of white fabric, lighting effects, and shadows, along with costume changes for the sake of dynamics.
What song did Chibi Unity dance to?
The surging sonic backdrop was provided by the hard-driving “Hometown” by Cleopatrick, a rock duo from Cobourg, Canada founded by longtime friends Luke Gruntz, the frontman and guitarist, and drummer Ian Fraser.
Released as a single in 2017, “Hometown” expresses feelings about not being seen or heard. Embraced by Spotify, the song helped the group’s fanbase to “blow up.” Its driving beat and gritty ’tude was a stirring backdrop for Chibi Unity as the crew shed bulky gray hoodies to reveal white tops as part of a stirring story of transformation told through their energizing dance moves.
AGT Judges react to Chibi Unity
Howie Mandel: "The dance category this year on Season 18 is off the charts. But you took it to another level. The emotion that comes out of your dancing is inspirational. I love the speed and the dexterity and the moves that you had. I'd love to see a show, an hour of you, in Las Vegas."
Heidi Klum: "I loved it because it was unexpected. For me the music was unexpected. I loved the changing of the outfits. It was very dynamic. It’s super good."
Sofia Vergara: "I was getting goosebumps. My heart was like beating. It was the best dancing I've ever seen in my life. I would say it was a perfect AGT audition."
Simon Cowell: "When I saw this audition I wasn’t thinking just about dance. It was so powerful, so original, so incredible ... We like you so much we collectively would like to give you something special."
At that point, Host Terry Crews joined the four Judges. In unison, they pressed the Golden Buzzer to send the group straight to AGT Live Shows.
The Group Golden Buzzer is pressed once per season by all the Judges and Host for an Act they feel is particularly sensational. For Season 18, Chibi Unity walked away with that distinction.
Confetti, smiles, tears, and, yes, goosebumps came right on cue!
Watch America’s Got Talent, airing Tuesdays at 8/7c on NBC, and streaming the following day on Peacock.
