America’s Got Talent Season 7 – Season Premiere: Power Rankings

So I am going to try something new this season and provide a kind of “power rankings” for each episode. For the auditions that have made it through to the next round, I am going to try to rank who I think will make it to the New York shows, who I think has the potential and growth to make it to the Top Ten, etc…

When the actual New York shows start airing I will attempt to rank the acts that I believe have the strongest chance of making it through to the next round and who is most likely going to get cut…

Unfortunately I was not able to catch all the acts that are going on to the Vegas round… so if you happen to know of an act that made it through to Vegas please let me know so I could find the information accordingly. So knowing all that… let the season begin!

LOS ANGELES AUDITIONS
William Close: Earth Harp
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OMG! I can’t believe it… I was very skeptical when he mentioned what he does, even though being a musician I understood the mechanics behind what he was doing. But the execution wasn’t something I was completely sold on. When they showed footage of him prepping prior to his act and how he turned the theatre into a large playable instrument… I was loving it. However, looking at the logistics of his act, is this a one-trick pony? Where does he go from here? Only time will tell.
Final Verdict: Most likely to the New York shows… don’t know how much further he could go. Would love to see him in the Top Ten though if he could stretch beyond what he has shown on the show.

Elements Dance Crew: Clogging
This is interesting, I’ve seen a lot of good dancing, and I’ve seen a lot of bad dancing. Lots of strong dance groups, you could find dance shows all over the place. But clogging in crisp precision as a group? With no room for error? Yeah, this is definitely more than just above average dance group.
Final Verdict: They might be able to make it passed Vegas, if they do something new, fresh and different.

All Wheel Sports: Extreme Cycling
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We saw a one-man act of Extreme Cycling in Jeremy VanSchoonhoven in Season 5. To me, a winterized version of this can be seen in the Winter Olympics on snowboards and skis, the only major differences are the addition of dancers/aerobics in front and behind the cyclists and the cyclists are doing some of the tricks in unison. The danger/fun of this act is the fact that a lot of the extreme cyclists are in fact performing concurrently.
Final Verdict: I see them possibly getting past Vegas, but not much further than that, not unless they can really up the ante and from I have seen online, that is a ‘no’.

The Amazing Elizabeth: Aerial Silks
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We have seen quite a few aerial silks acts come through America’s Got Talent, I think the major novelty in this particular case is that the aerialist is rather young. A novelty of sorts. We’ve seen a lot more polished acts come through the door and she’s very proficient if not extremely polished, again that is more on age.
Final Verdict: I just don’t see her getting pass Vegas.

Chris LeVar: Freestyle & Rapping
Again, this is not a new act. We’ve seen everything from rapping grandmas to tots. We’ve also seen acts that serenade the judges and still nothing. So for me… meh.
Final Verdict: I’d be really surprised if he makes it past the Vegas round

Jorge & Alexa: Father/Daughter singing duo
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This is something that is heart warming and touching, but as we have seen in the past, child vocalists don’t usually get very far in the competition. Not unless they are incredibly unique and polished like Jackie Evancho the opera child vocalist. The charm here lies in little Alexa singing wi her father, Jorge, and singing well. I just don’t see this being a Las Vegas show… Yet. But I guess we’ll see come the Vegas auditions.
Final Verdict: the jury is out for getting passed Vegas.

ST LOUIS AUDITIONS
Ben Blaque: Crossbow/Danger Act
What impressed me about this particular guy wasn’t his proficiency with the crossbow, but rather his impeccible accuracy. One would wonder how he would fair in the Winter Olympics…. But that’s a different story. What I noticed is that according to the website he is also an illusionist, so I am wondering if he would create an act that would combine the two talents of him? It might be possible, it might even be worth watching… The danger element definitely appears to me, but theater needs to be enough variety so an audience goer doesn’t get too bored in seeing the act over the course of an hour… or more.
Final Verdict: I have high hopes for this guy, but I want to see what he can do. I can see a possible Top Ten in his future.

Light Wire Theatre: Blacklight Theatre
The first time a blacklight theatre act came onto the America’s Got Talent stage… it was a novelty act, and a very entertaining one at that. Since then we’ve had variations of the novelty act come on stage, Light Wire has pushed up the ante a bit more. One major issue I have with this act though that others did not do was that we were able to see how the act was done. In the past (particularly with Fighting Gravity) they were given a couple of seconds to go off stage, undress or got rid of the pieces before talking to the judges. I liked that for the mystique and the “illusion” of blacklight theatre… unfortunately with this group we were able to see how the stories were lit up.
Final Verdict: I see them going far in this season. Possible Top Ten material.

Irving the Talking Dog
When I first saw this act on stage it immediately makes me think of Terry Fator of Season 2, only this is a dog with a mask on it’s face to be used as the movable mouth. Again, with that novelty aspect it still reminds me of Terry Fator, the only difference is the use of the live dog… but using a live person for his Sonny & Cher act in Vegas is another relation. Am I jaded? Of course… but I am just saying it like it is… it feels like a one-trick pony and not a Vegas show.
Final Verdict: The novelty will probably stick around through the Vegas round but the novelty will ultimately die unless there is an ace up their proverbial sleeve.

Stick and Move Dance Crew: Hip Hop dance duo
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Facebook Page
They have flexibility, they have charisma, and they are a lot of fun to watch… They have the potential for growth, but can they grow? Really there isn’t much that I can say about dance troupes, groups, or duos as a Vegas act except as a wait and see… It is an even bigger problem when it is just two of them as opposed to a whole troupe of dancers.
Final Verdict: they may get through the Vegas round, but beyond that? It depends on if they can grow to their fullest potential, and even that may not be enough.

Loyalty Dance Crew: Hip Hop dance group
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Youtube Channel
As mentioned in the above dance duo, creating a Vegas show around an all dance group can be considered rather difficult, but this group has more of an edge simply because there is more of them and as thus more variety and flexibility to do more things. They have a lot of heart within the group, but I would like to see what else they can bring to the table. I have seen some really strong dance crews in America’s Best Dance Crew (ABDC) and they would fit right in with that show… But I am not convinced that a full length show would work for them.
Final Verdict: getting through Vegas would be no surprise, but beyond that depends on what they can bring to the table.

Simply Sergio: Vocalist
When he sang the first song… I cringed. When he sang America the Beautiful, I was ambivalent. It wasn’t terrible, and he has some skill… But it wasn’t awe inspiring, omg he better got to Vegas now type. How do I figure? Simple… For me I gauge a vocal performance based on one thing, if I get chills listening to them sing. If I don’t then i don’t really bother… Unfortunately for me.. No chills here.
Final Verdict: Not bad for a pure vocalist, but I’d be very surprised if he makes it past Vegas.

Maurice and Shanice Hayes: Father/daughter singing duo
Howard Stern hit the nail right on the head. Shanice’s voice is excellent, and her father being there primarily as a support to make it that much richer (very Sonny & Cher) just makes this duo work even more. I think in the end she should be able to handle it solo… But for right now, this is one duo I don’t mind seeing stick together.
Final Verdict: I would be very surprised if they do not make it past Vegas, they even have the potential to hit the Top Ten… But that’s dependent on growth and filling their potential as a duo and quite possibly as a soloist for Shanice.