Five Spot Robots Dance to Queen on ‘America’s Got Talent,’ Win Unanimous ‘Yes’
Five of Boston Dynamics’ four-legged robots, Spot, appeared on NBC’s flagship talent show “America’s Got Talent” and performed a synchronized group dance. The unusual sight of robots dancing on a large stage drew cheers from the audience, and the judges responded positively.
On the 11th, America’s Got Talent posted a video on its official YouTube channel titled “Boston Dynamics rewrites history with robot dancing.” The clip shows five Spots taking the stage and performing a routine to British rock band Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now.”
As the performance began, the Spots moved together and then split apart in repeated sequences. They swayed side to side, and the tips of their robotic arms made gestures timed to the lyrics, almost as if they were singing. The choreography was preprogrammed in robot-specific software, producing smooth, precise movements.
But not everything went according to plan. Shortly after the music started, one Spot suddenly stopped and collapsed to the floor. The remaining four completed the routine without it, and the audience gave a standing ovation.
One judge said, “In fact, the fact that one stopped helped show how difficult this performance is.” Another asked, “Can you fix it?” A Boston Dynamics researcher standing on stage replied, “Of course. We often say we build it, break it, and fix it.”
As the researcher finished speaking, the fallen Spot powered back on, stood up, walked to center stage, and resumed dancing energetically. The audience responded with louder cheers and applause. One judge said, “I’ve never seen a stage like this,” and another called it “a very impressive performance.”
After the act, the Spots received a unanimous “Yes” from the judges. On America’s Got Talent, performers advance only if at least three of the four judges vote “Yes.”
Boston Dynamics said it applied software specialized for dance moves to create expressive motion and that, if invited back, it would present a new type of performance.
Boston Dynamics is a robotics company acquired by Hyundai Motor Group. The firm is boosting its technical capabilities to develop reinforcement-learning–based intelligent robots, and its bipedal robot Atlas could be deployed on vehicle assembly lines as early as the end of this year.
Boston Dynamics’ robots have previously appeared in online videos and exhibitions. A live performance on an audition show like this is rare, and observers say it underscores the growing potential for robots in the entertainment industry.
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