Though we should all strive to stay as young as possible in mind and body as we age, some activities seem like a “young man’s game.”
What that phrase ultimately means is that certain activities or fields of study are better suited to people with younger bodies and younger minds. By way of example, many scientific researchers suggest that the biggest and best breakthroughs researchers typically have come in the young adult years. In the physical arena, activities like skateboarding or dirt-biking are often left to younger folks as well.
You may also think that acrobatic performances fit in that category—but you would be wrong.
As one recent performance on America’s Got Talent showed all too clearly, it’s possible to keep up with these activities well into the twilight years.
As the performance starts, two older gentlemen wearing full suits step out on stage with a younger woman. As they start talking, it becomes clear that the woman is their translator.
As she explains, the two men are Edson and Leon, who are 54 and 84 years old, respectively. The two are best friends and have been performing together for a long time. The two of them explain they are from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and wanted to bring their talents to the big stage.
After a few more words, the duo is ready to perform.
As things get started, they stand there in silence for a few moments.
After that, Bruno Mars’s song “Uptown Funk” starts playing and the two men take off the top part of their suits. After that, Edson flips Leon upside down seamlessly as Leon does a handstand on Edson’s knees.
Immediately, the entire audience and the judges are all in shock! Though their first move is impressive, things only get more complicated from there.
From that same position, the men extend their bodies into a horizontal plank and the audience goes nuts.
As the performance continues, the two men do all kinds of handstands and stress positions that most younger men couldn’t.
For a kind of grand finale, Edson gets all the way down on the ground and puts one of his hands in the air. Although the audience is confused as to what’s going on, it soon becomes clear: Leon is going to do a handstand off of his one arm in the air!
Although they pull that part of the trick off with ease, the next part is truly astonishing. Slowly but surely, Edson starts lifting himself up off the ground from a laying position.
Eventually, he’s standing all the way up with one arm in the air—and Leon balancing on top of it!
When their performance is over, the whole crowd gives them a standing ovation.
As the judges say in their evaluation, there are plenty of performers who are much younger than they are that do the same things much shakier! After a round of more compliments, the two men leave with four yeses from the judges and are on their way to Hollywood.
Though there have been all kinds of shocking and surprising performances on this show over the years, this one is definitely something special. As these two best friends have shown, there’s virtually nothing we can’t still do when we get older!
Congratulations to Edson and Leon on an amazing audition! Watch their entire performance in the clip below:
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