America's Got Talent determined its first five fifth-season Top 10 finals acts during Wednesday night's live broadcast of the NBC reality competition series.
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Anna and Patryk, a pair of pre-teen ballroom dancers from New Hyde Park, NY and Maspeth, NY; Michael Grimm, a musician and singer from Henderson, NV; Prince Poppycock, an opera singer from Los Angeles, CA; and Taylor Mathews, a musician and singer from Alexandria, LA, were revealed to have finished as the Top 4 vote-getters after Tuesday night's performance show which featured 12 of the season's 24 semifinalist acts performing for home viewer votes, automatically earning them a spot as in the finals.
America's Got Talent host Nick Cannon also revealed that performing arts group ArcAttack, dancing rock climbers AscenDance, pint-size hip-hop duo Future Funk, fire performer and magician Antonio Restivo, magician Dan Sperry, and singer Kristina Young had received the six lowest home viewer vote totals and been eliminated from the competition.
The announcements then left America's Got Talent judges Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel with the task of deciding which of the two acts that had received the fifth and sixth highest vote totals -- Christina & Ali, a pair of sisters from Idaho Falls, ID who suffer from cystic fibrosis, or Connor Doran, an indoor kite flyer from Bend, OR who has epilepsy -- should become the fifth act to advance to the finals.
"I know why I'm looking at these two acts, because America I think has slightly fallen in love with both of you," Morgan said.
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"Christina and Ali, I don't think we've ever had contestants who have your story. It is completely heartbreaking... you've never asked for any sympathy or pity, you always come on here smiling and you show great grace and manners. And you have got good voices. Not great voices, good voices. The combination of good voices and incredible personalities in going to make me lean toward you two tonight. Christina and Ali."
Mandel then cast his vote for Doran.
"I hate this because I love you both, and you know what, you both inspire us," he said. "But I got to tell you, what I love about this show is unlike any other show where there's singers and there's dancers, is I kind of embrace the variety -- you see things here you don't see anyplace else, that's what makes America's Got talent great."
"And for that reason, Connor, I'd love you to come back and show us something more."
With the judges' voting tied, it was then up to Osbourne to cast the deciding vote.
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"I wish it wasn't up to me guys... I can't even say, it's so hard for me, " she said. "Connor, you are just an amazing young man... and Christine and Ali, your vocals have gotten really so much better, your confidence level has been so much better. I wish you'd done something more up-tempo or maybe moved around more. To make a decision..."
"You got to hurry, we're almost off the air, Sharon!" Cannon said.
"Okay, okay... do I break two hearts or one? I'm going to break one, and I'm going to go with Christina and Ali," Osbourne replied.
About The Author: Steven Rogers