Dog trainer awes audience of Romania’s Got Talent
Dog trainer Mikhail Ermakov received the Golden Buzz during Romania’s Got Talent show on Friday, February 6, after shocking the audience with his act.
During the performance, named the “Ermakov Dog Academy,” dogs sat on benches and pretended to be students. They answered math questions and cleaned the blackboard. Mikhail’s act brought the audience to its feet, with the jury applauding the performance as well.
Ermakov, who resides in France, comes from a family of circus artists and was raised surrounded by animals, particularly dogs. He paid homage to his family while talking to the judges.
“The act you saw was created by my grandfather. When he created the act, he saved dogs from the streets. He passed it on to my father, and then to me. Our ‘dynasty’ is already 100 years old. The merit is not mine, it belongs to the dogs and to my grandfather,” Mikhail said, talking about his legacy.
A notable feature of the "Dog Academy" act is that some dogs are taken from shelters or rescued from the streets, resulting in a diverse mix of breeds in the performance.
“This reflects the philosophy of the Ermakov Dog School, namely that homeless dogs can find a home and friends,” Ermakov says on his YouTube channel.
After the act, one of the dogs pressed the Golden Buzz button and received the approval of singer Andra, one of the show’s judges. As such, Ermakov and his classroom will go straight to the semifinals and are guaranteed to perform again.
“It was the hand of destiny. I wanted to give it anyway. I have never seen such a well-executed act with animals that act. I have never seen acting dogs in my life!” Andra added.
In addition to training, Mikhail excels in football juggling, a discipline in which he holds a Guinness World Record, and in artistic cycling acts performed together with his wife. His participation in Romania’s Got Talent also marked his first visit to the country.
Ta Bi Irie Boris and David Kouakou, Luca Popovici, Larisa Dascăl, Denis Popovichenko, Teodor Copăceanu, Ovidiu Prunoiu, Duo Elmaks, Andrea Chiarini, Trupa Re-Born, Ștefania Iftime, and The Phobias are the other contestants who, alongside Mikhail Ermakov, received 3 or 4 YES votes from the jury and will move on to the next stage, according to Libertatea.
(Photo source: Romanii au talent on Facebook)
