14-Year-Old Blind Dancer Shows People To Never Stop Reaching For The Stars On ‘AGT’
NBC Benjamin Yonattan showed everyone that he was not going to let being blind stop him from reaching his dreams as a dancer. He auditioned for ‘AGT’ in 2015 and definitely twirled his way to the judge’s hearts. Take a look at his unforgettable audition below.
Blind Dancer Benjamin Yonattan Inspired Many During ‘AGT’ Audition
Benjamin was adopted at age four from Guatemala and only spoke Spanish. This made it hard for him to communicate with others. But Benjamin found a love for dance that allowed him to communicate and share his feelings without using words. The dancer began losing his vision at the age of 12 and described his vision as like looking through a straw. He actually wears a pair of glasses that expands his field of view to help him see more around him.
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His ‘AGT’ audition was full of flips and tricks and spins that showed his incredible technical skills and strength. He received a standing ovation from the judges and the audience after his performance. “Benjamin I have to say I’m so glad you graced our stage today,” Mel B said. “You are unstoppable, your dancing is beautiful.”
“Dance is a visual art and for somebody where image is your handicap, you are creating the most beautiful image for everyone else” Howie Mandel said. “I love that you are here. I love the message that you are providing.”
“I love that you can still do what you love to do which is dance” Heidi Klum added. Howard Stern went on to say he was very inspired by the performance. Benjamin received four yes’s and made it to the Judge Cuts round. There he danced to Danny Gokey’s “Tell Your Heart To Beat Again.” It was enough for him to make it to the Live Shows.
In the Quarterfinals, he danced to Boyce Avenue’s “One Life.” He received a standing ovation from three out of the four judges. He ended up in the Dunkin’ Save but the judges ultimately decided to save Daniella Mass.
Where Is Benjamin Now?
Benjamin made it clear that dancing is his passion and that he would continue to pursue it after ‘AGT.’ He teamed up with Foundation Fighting Blindness for the #HowEyeSeeIt challenge. He went on to challenge Glee star Harry Shum Jr. to dance without being able to see. For Harry, it wasn’t so easy to flash his dance moves with a blindfold on.
After the video was posted, MAC Products and William H. Connolly donated $15,000 to Foundation Fighting Blindness.
Benjamin has not posted on his Twitter account since 2017 but he did say that he was a big fan of The Voice. He also created a YouTube page after appearing on ‘AGT’ but has not posted a new video since 2015.
If you were inspired by Benjamin’s ‘AGT’ audition, definitely make sure to check out the compilation below. He is just one of the many very inspiring contestants on talent shows that did not let anything stop them from reaching their dreams. Incredible acts like Kodi Lee have gone through hardships but still push through to deliver incredible performances.
SEE ALSO: BLIND COMEDIAN HAS SIMON COWELL BURSTING INTO LAUGHTER BUT THEN HIS STORY TAKES A TURN [VIDEO]
What did you think of Benjamin’s ‘AGT’ audition?
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