Requiring intense levels of physical skill and strength, the art of breakdancing originated in New York in the late 1960s. And although it’s popularly assumed that the sport requires the use of both legs and arms, Brazilian-born America’s Got Talent auditionee Bboy Samuka (also known as Samuel Henrique) is out to prove that this isn’t necessarily the case. You see, at the age of 13, Samuka had his leg amputated as a result of cancer, but has since defied the odds to become a professional dancer.
Introducing himself on the show, Samuka said that if he won the competition he hoped to help other people with cancer, prompting a huge cheer from the crowd. Little did they realize, however, that they were about to be left even more awe-struck by Samuka’s one-legged breakdancing performance. Initially using his crutches as extensions of his arms, Samuka leapt, writhed, and grooved his way around the stage with James Brown as his soundtrack like it was the most effortless thing in the world.
But Samuka hadn’t finished yet. As the song reached its climax, he cast aside his crutches, breaking out into some masterful dance moves that most people would struggle to do with both legs. His pièce de résistance, meanwhile, was an extraordinary backflip, prompting screams from the audience and almost shocking judge Howie Mandel out of his chair. From that moment on it was clear – Samuka would not only be proceeding to the next round but would also be going down as a legend in AGT history.
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Since then, the internet hasn’t been able to get enough of Samuka, with the views piling up on other videos in which the breakdancer shows off his extraordinary talent. One such video shows him competing in the semi-final of the breakdancing segment of hip-hop festival Outbreak Europe. Up against fellow pro B-Boy Mini Joe, Samuka impresses the crowd with his headstands, windmills, and spins, even prompting a ‘wow’ from the competition’s MC when he performs some particularly tricky floor combos.
For the America’s Got Talent judges, however, simply saying ‘wow’ was not enough. “Absolutely mesmerizing,” said Howie, while Sofia Vergara called him “one of the best acts” she had ever seen on the show. Simon Cowell, meanwhile, predicted that Samuka would receive a ‘yes’ from every single person who watched his act, which he estimated would be around one hundred million. Looking sweaty but absolutely overjoyed with this reaction, Samuka left the stage, no doubt already thinking about how he was going to better such a memorable performance in the next round.
If you would like to hear more from this talented artist, you can follow Bboy Samuka on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/bboysamuka/) or [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/bboysamuka/) for more incredible performances.