See Hypnotic ‘America’s Got Talent’ Audition That Left Howie Mandel ‘Mesmerized’

An unusual act earned the Golden Buzzer on Tuesday night’s episode of America’s Got Talent—and it earned the admiration of judge Howie Mandel.

Officially, Murmuration is considered a dance crew, but what the 65-member ensemble did onstage can barely be summed up as dance. Only one person from the group was even on their feet during the performance.

According to Mandel, what the members of Murmuration really do is leave viewers in a trance.

The act, which aptly takes it’s name from the synchronized flocking patterns of starlings, employs fluid, simultaneous arm movements that create shapes leaving its many members acting as one.

The lone standing member of the troupe took the stage to lead the others, but while he moved his arms and more, the rest of them didn’t follow along by watching him. That’s because the first movement of their performance saw the other 64 dancers put blindfolds over their eyes.

While soothing, ambient music played, the unified presentation left all of the AGT judges and the audience rapt until the moment the movement stopped.

Murmuration earned a standing ovation from all but judge Simon Cowell (who appeared just as impressed as everyone else but disinclined to leave the comfort of his seat).

“Wow! You guys were so amazingly in sync, even though you couldn’t see anything,” judge Heidi Klum raved afterwards. “And there’s so many of you, but that was so elegant. There was so much grace, I thought it was fantastic.”

As for Mandel, he told the act, “Well, I was mesmerized. I find what you do hypnotic, and I think it’s very original. I find it almost more magnificent when you get a large group of people and the movements are smaller but perfect. It blew me away.”

Mandel then presented a poor-but-kind copy of the performance, gesturing his arms around until he was finally near the show’s all-important object—the Golden Buzzer. He hit it, sending Murmuration straight to the live shows.

Backstage, the actor, comedian and talent show panelist told the group, “You just moved me.”

Murmuration’s audition is just the latest to move the panel in Season 18. Other acts to get the Golden Buzzer treatment so far include: the Mzansi Youth Choir, the group who received the first-ever audience or “fifth judge” Buzzer, singer and pianist Putri Ariani, who got the honor from Cowell, and Chioma and the Atlanta Drum Academy, the percussive troupe led by an 8-year-old that prompted host Terry Crews to use his one Golden opportunity on them.