Viktor Kee

Viktor Kee is a juggler act from Season 11 of America's Got Talent.

Background
Viktor Kiktev, who performs as Viktor Kee, was born in Priluki, Ukraine. His mother worked as a dancer and his father was a musician. At four, he attended a children’s ballet school, but it wasn’t long before his journey to the circus began. His older brother was attending the local children circus School “Uday” and smuggled Viktor into the school at the age of six. There, he was introduced to a remarkable teacher, Alex Gruzin, who was to become a major inspiration to Viktor. He took the young boy under his wing and trained him in acrobatic, equilibristic, magic, clowning and last but not least: juggling. He passed on a great deal more than just skills – he gave Viktor something very precious to treasure for the rest of his life – Love for the Art of Circus.

By the age of 11 Viktor was focusing more & more on juggling. Two years later, he developed and conceived his first act, in which he brought together juggling of 3 & 5 large balls with a popular, trendy Break Dance routine that was so popular at the time. The success of that act confirmed to the young man what he wanted to be above all else in the world: a juggler. In 1989, Viktor entered the Professional Circus School in Kiev where he began a four year long, arduous, highly specialized training program. There he practised juggling along with acrobatics, acting and dance for 10-14 hours a day which brought Viktor to a point where he, besides being a good acrobat, a hand balancer, or an actor could also juggle 9 balls, do a 7-ball pirouette, a 5-ball double pirouette and a 6-ball pirouette with the 7th ball on his forehead. However, Viktor was more fascinated by the artistic aspects of juggling than the numbers, or technical characteristics of that art form. He spent day after day practising, perfecting and polishing his moves always in quest for new movements and routines.

In 1989, Viktor`s style caught the eye of well-known Ukrainian choreographer Nikolay Baranov. For three years they laboured, developing an act that would bring something unique and matchless in the world of juggling. They named the act “ The World of a Juggler”. Pioneering a new style with only three balls in which Viktor incorporated his juggling with contortion, acrobatics, drama and dance. His career really took off in 1994, when Viktor won the Silver Medal & the prestigious Raspini Award at the 17th International Circus Festival “Cirque de Demain” in Paris. His stage name was changed to Viktor Kee & he started to perform around the world in the most prestigious venues such as Moulin Rouge (Paris), Friedrichstadtpalast (Berlin), Pomp Duck & Circumstance (New York), Mirage and MGM Grand (Las Vegas), and Lido de Paris (Paris).

In 1999, Viktor Kee joined Cirque du Soleil in their production “Dralion”. In 2003 Viktor won a Silver Clown Award at the 27th International Circus Festival in Monte Carlo and in 2004 Viktor received a Gold Medal at Cirque de Demain special event “La Nuit D`Or“. In 2006 Viktor opens his own company “Art Vision Production”, specialized in an artistic development and management of the talents around the world. First Art Vision artist debuted his career in 2007 wining a Gold Medal in the 28th International Circus Festival in Paris “Cirque de Demain”. Currently perfomring in Zumanity show by Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas. Followed by creation of new juggling act by Victor Moiseev, currently performing in show Joya by Cirque du Soleil, Mexico. 2012 Viktor returned to Cirque du Soleil creating a new act for Amaluna show and touring now days around the world. In 2014 Viktor started a new chapter in his career, giving back to the world of Art by forming his own not-for-profit organization Viktor Kee Foundation with a goal to Empower children with creativity in a reagions of poverty or destress, with a mission around the globe “Art Helps the World”. 

A few days after Viktor's first AGT audition, Viktor's 50-year old brother died of a heart attack.

Audition
Viktor Kee's audition in Episode 1103 consisted of juggling sets of three and more balls thet were dropped to him from above. Howie Mandel, Mel B, Heidi Klum, and Simon Cowell all voted "Yes," sending Viktor to the Judge Cuts.

Judge Cuts
Viktor Kee's Judge Cuts performance in Episode 1110 consisted of juggling in a variety of ways such as against the floor, in the air as his body spun on the floor, and with one glowing ball. Viktor's performance was strong enough for the judges to send him to the Quarterfinals instead of D.J. Demers.