Chinese robot dancers find rhythm on American talent show

A jade pendant bearing a small golden Sanxingdui mask rested against dancer Wu Yufei's chest as he stepped onto the stage of the America's Got Talent (AGT) finale. Commissioned by his wife, this piece of home was his lucky charm as he wowed the audience.

At the finale, the 27-year-old from Sichuan province in southwestern China shared the stage with humanoid robots made by Unitree, performing in a fusion of robotics, inkwash aesthetics and contemporary stage performance.

"Robots are not merely technological achievements, but they can also be creative partners on stage and a new medium for artistic expression," said Fang Zhenghua, the Chengdu choreographer who directed the team's performances.

Wu said their experience in the United States has been genuinely heartwarming. He and Fang showcased not only advances in humanoid robot technology, but also young people's vision of the relationship between technology and humanity, adding that audiences are incredibly enthusiastic.

At their audition, Wu performed alongside machines that danced and flipped in time with the music. The act received a unanimous "yes" from all four judges.

By the Sept 8 quarterfinals, Wu and the robots were performing martial arts alongside human dancers, kicking and flipping across the stage.

Judge Howie Mandel imagined a martial arts version of the Will Smith film I, Robot and predicted it would be "the most viral moment we're going to have this season". Actress Sofia Vergara pressed the Golden Buzzer, sending the team directly to the Sept 22 final.

For Wu, however, some of the most memorable exchanges happened away from the machines.

This marked his fourth trip to the US. He had met several American dancers from the East Coast to the West Coast on past trips, and they made dance videos together on the streets, capturing the fun times they shared.

"Dance is a universal language," he said.