The then-38-year-old Tokyo-born Ebina came onto the AGT scene in 2013 with a dubstep-esque performance that combined robot-style dance and martial arts. He joked with Judges that his passion for his Matrix-style movement evolved from hyping others with his running man.
“Dancing is my passion,” he told AGT producers at the time. “My dream is to do my full-length, one-month show in Vegas. That’s why I’m here.”
One of the most memorable aspects of Ebina’s “dance-ish” Audition was how he made it seem like his head became detached from his body and landed in his hands. He mimicked being shot at and losing a martial arts fight (sound effects and all), sometimes landing on his head or appearing to levitate from the ground.
Ebina beat stand-up comic Taylor Williamson and singer Jimmy Rose for the Season 8 victory and went on to teach his indescribable skills to others. Ebina’s appearance on AGT Season 19, Episode 8, was a welcome return, and perhaps an expected one since he posted a couple of super-fun photos of him and Airfootworks in Los Angeles on his Instagram page.
What Act is Kenichi Ebina helping in Season 19?
Airfootworks, a four-person group of one female and three males, arguably took what Ebina once showed the world and upped the ante. Having already made the Finals on Japan’s Got Talent, the seamlessly-synced group used the cube-shaped frame to make moves incorporating Lite Feet-style (like the dancing craze taking over New York City subways and TikTok), breakdancing, and acrobatics.
They danced to Skrillex and Diplo’s “Where Are Ü Now” with Justin Bieber.
A few moves comprised human flag positions, while another used his throat to hang freely from a bar (Kids, don’t try this at home). Judge Klum was amazed at how they “piled in a lot of really cool elements” into the routine.
“It was so creative, and so different, and so difficult, by the way,” said Judge Simon Cowell. “You have a great mentor. However, even if you’ve got a great mentor, you still gotta be able to do what your mentor helps you to do. You did it immaculately.”
Even with Airfootworks’ ongoing success, now with four yes votes from the Judges, it’s not the only dance troupe under Ebina’s tutelage to make it to AGT. In Season 16, he mentored the Japanese unicycling group Unicircle Flow, whose graceful and precise Acts helped them advance all the way to the semifinals.
