Kenichi Ebina facts for kids

Kenichi Ebina (蛯名 健一, Ebina Ken'ichi, born May 25, 1974) is a Japanese performance artist. He is famous for winning the eighth season of America's Got Talent in 2013. Kenichi calls his unique solo act 'dance-ish'. It mixes acting, storytelling, and many dance styles. These include freestyle, hip-hop, mime, martial arts, jazz, and ethnic dance. He often dances with characters shown on a video screen. He creates and plays all of these characters himself.

Kenichi Ebina's Early Life and Career

Kenichi Ebina was born in Japan in 1974. He studied at the University of Bridgeport in the United States. He earned two degrees there, finishing in 2000. Kenichi has a wife and a daughter who live in Japan.

Winning Apollo Amateur Night

Before America's Got Talent, Kenichi was already a champion. In 2006 and 2007, he won Apollo Amateur Night twice. This is a famous talent show. He became the grand champion for the season. He is the only person to win this title two times. In 2001, his dance group, BiTriP, also won first place at Apollo Amateur Night. Kenichi also appeared in Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps. He shared his dance story about a mannequin that came to life.

Journey on America's Got Talent

Kenichi Ebina became a household name after his amazing performances on America's Got Talent.

Auditions and Live Rounds

Kenichi first performed at the Chicago auditions. His act was a "dance-ish" routine inspired by The Matrix. The judges were amazed and all four voted "yes." This sent him straight to the live shows at Radio City Music Hall. He did not need to perform during Vegas week.

Quarterfinals and Semifinals

On August 6, 2013, Kenichi performed a dance and martial arts routine. He danced with a video playing on a big screen behind him. He also played every character shown in the video. The audience loved it. On August 7, he was voted into the semi-finals.

On September 3, Kenichi performed another detailed dance and mime act. He danced with a projected version of himself. This performance earned him a spot in the top 12. A week later, on September 10, he performed an emotional dance. It told a story about love, death, and what comes after life. This performance helped him reach the finals.

The Grand Finals and Victory

In the finals, Kenichi performed two routines. His first act was a new version of his first audition. It impressed the judges once again. For his second performance, he danced with eight characters projected on a screen. Kenichi played all of these characters himself.

After his two final performances on September 17, he was announced the winner. Kenichi Ebina won the eighth season of America's Got Talent on September 18, 2013. He made history as the first dancer and the first foreign act to win the competition.

Returning to America's Got Talent

Kenichi returned as a guest on August 13, 2014. He performed a routine similar to his audition. He even interacted with versions of himself that had the faces of judges Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel. This performance also showed off a new app he was developing called "Dance-ish Me."

In 2019, Kenichi also took part in America's Got Talent: The Champions. However, he did not receive enough votes to move on to the finals that time.