The Jesse White Tumblers will not advance to the semifinals of America’s Got Talent. Despite a high-energy performance on Tuesday night that featured gravity-defying stunts and an appearance by 92-year-old founder Jesse White, the group failed to secure enough public votes to move forward.
The Chicago-based team competed against four other acts for three available spots. Voting through the official competition app ended Wednesday morning. The tumblers were up against a dog trainer, a laser show, and a musician, but they did not gather sufficient support to proceed to the next round of the NBC broadcast.
Jesse White started this gymnastics program in 1959 at the Rockwell Gardens housing development in East Garfield Park. For decades, the group has provided Chicago youth with opportunities for physical training and performance experience. The youngest performer with the team on this season of the show is 8 years old.
While their run on the national television show is over, the team remains active in the local community. They recently performed at the Bud Billiken Parade and have a scheduled appearance at Halo Fest in Austin this weekend. Tryouts for the team occur multiple times throughout the year for boys and girls aged 6 to 16, with the next session scheduled for September 12 at Tuley Park and the Jesse White Community Center.