Chinese street dancer Wu Yufei has reached the final of America’s Got Talent with an unusual dance crew — humanoid robots developed by Chinese robotics company Unitree. The 27-year-old performer from Sichuan has spent 13 years in street dance and now performs alongside the robots as part of the group Homies.
Wu, a longtime science-fiction fan, said performing with the robots gave him a “very magical feeling”. After months of training, he said the machines began to feel less like “cold, lifeless machines” and more like members of a team.
The performances combine street dance, kung fu-inspired choreography and synchronized robotic movements. The robots are particularly effective at precise power moves, while routines requiring greater flexibility remain difficult for them.
Teaching robots to dance is also a highly technical process. Human movements have to be captured, converted through computer simulations and transferred to the machines. Engineers then fine-tune the choreography and troubleshoot problems during rehearsals and performances. A routine lasting only 30 seconds can take days or even weeks to perfect.
However, robots still have limitations. Their performances are largely scripted, meaning they cannot improvise like human dancers if music or stage conditions suddenly change.
The growing popularity of robot performances in China has also made entertainment a showcase for humanoid robotics. Industry experts say such performances demonstrate what the machines can currently do, although companies are still looking for commercially viable uses beyond entertainment.