Amanda LaCount is a dancer from Season 15 of America's Got Talent. She was eliminated in the Judge Cuts.
Background[]
Amanda LaCount is a well known professional hip hop dancer, choreographer, actress, singer, model, speaker, and influencer. She has been dancing since she was 2 years old. Amanda has 6 older brothers and sisters. Growing up Amanda was also a competitive figure skater and an all-star cheerleader. Amanda danced competitively and attended Denver School of the Arts as a Dance Major from 6th to 9th grade. While in Colorado, Amanda performed in a number of professional musical productions including Annie, Sound of Music, Cheaper By The Dozen, Scrooge, Carousel, Fiddler On The Roof, Aladdin, Brigadoon, Alice In Wonderland, Jungle Book, Bye Bye Birdie, Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Polar Express at regional dinner theatres and community theatres in Colorado and Wyoming, and the National Tour for the Wizard Of Oz. Her dream is to perform on Broadway one day soon.
In 2015, Amanda moved from Colorado to Los Angeles to follow her dream of becoming a professional dancer and actress. Amanda graduated with Honors from The Dance Academy at Champs Charter High School of Performing Arts. During the COVID-19 quarantine Amanda stayed active by working on her BA in Performing Arts with a focus in Dance Performance and she graduated Summa Cum Laude from St. Mary's College of California in the Spring 2022. Then, came the SAG strike this year from July 14 to November 9. Once again Amanda chose to further her education earning an MBA from the University of Illinois in Spring 2024. This knowledge will be beneficial when she opens her own inclusive dance studio some day.
Some of her most notable dance performances include performing 3 times in Rihanna’s “Savage X Fenty” Show (once at NYFW) which is now streaming on Amazon Prime, dancing in the opening number of the Emmys, dancing with Ozuna at the Latin American Music Awards, dancing with Zoe Wees at the American Music Awards, dancing at Coachella with Lizzo, dancing with Meghan Trainor at the Radio Disney Music Awards, dancing with Kelsea Ballerini at the E! People's Choice Awards, dancing on The Ellen Show with Keala Settle from "The Greatest Showman" movie, dancing with Mario Lopez on Access Hollywood, teaching dance moves on Good Morning America, dancing with Disney's "Descendants 2" Cast on Dancing With the Stars, dancing on two Episodes of The Voice, dancing in Lady Gaga's "Stupid Love" music video, dancing in Katy Perry's "Swish Swish" music video featuring Nicki Minaj, and her own National Dance Tour "Amanda LaCount Live". She traveled to Paris, France to be featured in the music video "Comme Une Reine" (Like A Queen) for Madame Monsieur.
Amanda was the November 2018, Dance Spirit Magazine Cover, in the January 21, 2020, Dance Magazine, in People.com July 9, 2020, in the Winter 2019 Edition of Tiger Beat where she was named one of the “6 Dancers We Can’t Stop Watching”, and in the August 2021, Edition of Germany InStyle Magazine, and the Daily Mail. Amanda is very honored to have been part of Dove’s worldwide “#showus” campaign in ads and commercials; part of American Eagle Outfitter’s worldwide “Young Money” curvy jeans campaign in ads, store posters and commercials; JCPenneys “Here I Am: Plus Size Athletes Fit At Any Size” campaign, Athleta's "Power of She" campaign, Sephora’s “We Belong” campaign, and numerous Nike campaigns. Most recently she can be seen in JLo’s Dolby 'Love More' Commercial.
Currently Amanda trains at Millennium Dance Complex Los Angeles, Movement Lifestyle, TMilly TV, and Playground LA. Also, Amanda teaches at Millennium Dance Complex, Movement Lifestyle, OffStage GRV, and other studios in the Los Angeles area. Amanda has numerous choreography credits for a number of music videos and has assisted at Celebrity Dance Convention, and taught at Dallas Hip Hop Convention, MUV LA2NE Dance Convention, Phuz3d Convention, Maxt Out Summit, Move Dance Convention (London), numerous Zumba events, etc.
#breakingthestereotype™[]
Amanda has her own movement #breakingthestereotype™ which promotes body positivity and the belief that any "body" can be a dancer. She is breaking the stereotype that all dancers must be tall, thin and blonde or brunette. Her philosophy is "If you love it, do it. It's as simple as that." Amanda is also a body positivity advocate. In 2019, she was the Guest Speaker and Performer at "Beautiful U" sponsored by Wood TV and the United Dairy Industry of Michigan. Amanda was on the "Werk the Skin You're In: Body Positivity" Panel. In 2019, she performed at RuPaul's DragCon at the Los Angeles Convention Center, attended the Count Me In Global Leadership Summit in Toronto, Canada, and she spoke and performed at the National Best Buddies Leadership Conference in Bloomington, Indiana.
Additionally in 2019, Amanda played the role of Mermaid Alana (one of Ariel’s sisters) in ABC’s Disney “The Little Mermaid Live”. Other roles she played include Jenny in the film "Ali's Realm,” 7 Episodes of "School of Rock" as a dancer and student, 2 Episodes of "Drama Club" as a dancer, on “Alexa and Katie” as a dancer and student, as a dancer in "ROAR" with Nicole Kidman, and co-starring roles on "Good Girls," “Physical,” and "Euphoria." Amanda also played an inclusive dancer for the Netflix movie “The Prom” starring Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman. Another movie credit includes a Villain Kid Dancer in “Descendants 4: The Rise of Red” releasing in 2024.
Amanda can't wait to see what the future holds for her as she continues her mission of promoting confidence and body positivity. One of her goals is “to be the person I never had growing up” (to look up to as a role model).
Audition[]
Amanda LaCount's audition in Episode 1503 consisted of dancing to Todrick Hall’s ‘Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels’. Heidi Klum buzzed the act. Although Heidi voted "No", Howie Mandel, Sofia Vergara, and Simon Cowell voted "Yes", sending her to the next round.
Judge Cuts[]
Amanda LaCount was automatically eliminated from the competition in Episode 1508. Though her verdict was not televised, it was still shown in promos.
Controversy[]
Heidi Klum’s response to Amanda’s audition lead to some controversy, with many people accusing Heidi Klum of body shaming Amanda. However, this remains a theory and is unknown as to whether or not Heidi actually held any prejudice towards Amanda.
External Links[]