America's Got Talent on NBC: Meet The Mayyas Lebanese dance group bags golden buzzer

'The Mayyas,' a Lebanese all-female dance company led by choreographer Nadim Cherfan, made their major debut on the most recent episode of 'America's Got Talent Season 17. With a powerful message of female empowerment and a determination to overcome misconceptions surrounding Arab women, the group managed to wow all of the judges and even get a golden buzzer from Sofia Vergara! The Mayyas have their sights set on winning over the American public after winning 'Arab's Got Talent' and making it to the preliminary round of 'Britani's Got Talent: The Champions.' While we wait to see if the dance group will go on to win the $1 million grand prize and the chance to play as the headlining act in Las Vegas, you can learn more about The Mayyas and their amazing performance here. You can also read about Avery Dixon, Maddie Baez, and Sara James, the other golden buzzer winners.

Who are The Mayyas?

The Mayyas, which in Arabic means "the bold walk of a lioness," is an apt name for this Lebanese dance troupe. Nadim Cherfan, a Lebanese choreographer, founded the Mayyas. Nadim claimed in an interview with Arab News that the dancing squad was formed when he decided to compete in 'Arab's Got Talent.' "Mayyas was produced for Arab's Got Talent after I decided to (apply for) Season 6 of the show. A total of 50 professional dancers make up the crew "He told the news organization.

The dancers emphasized in their introduction package how it is difficult for a Middle Eastern woman to make a living as a dancer, but The Mayyas provided a safe environment for them to experiment. The dancers also hoped that their performance would inspire and empower more women to pursue their dreams. According to Nadim, "Because I wanted to send a message about women's empowerment, I hired a female crew. As we all know, Arab women are still called names for being dancers. I wanted to demonstrate how graceful, polished, and lovely dance can be. And who better to accomplish it than these stunning ladies?"

Nadim also talked about what inspired him to start dancing and eventually form The Mayyas. "Unfortunately, the Middle East's dancing scene was small at the time, and there were few dance schools. Even though I was completely aware of my skill and spent hours daily in front of my mirror in my room figuring out body movements emulating what I observed on TV, I couldn't acquire the right training at a young age." "I began taking classes with specialists in Lebanon at the age of 14 and attended workshops in the United States, the United Kingdom, and India." And I grew more and more enamored with dancing, and I continue to do so on a regular basis "He went on to say.

He began teaching others at the age of 20 and began with only three girls. "I kept doing so, and I've raised a big number of students who have grown up alongside me. Currently, 200 pupils are enrolled in my classes." Mayyas was born among those 200.

The Mayyas girls, dressed entirely in black, announced that they would "hypnotize" the judges. After viewing their performance, the judges, Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, and Sofia, were fascinated and dumbfounded. The judges and studio audience were awestruck as the dancers moved their bodies and hands in perfect unison. The group employed a variety of accessories to demonstrate their rich history and tradition, including evil-eye drawings pasted to their palms and feathers.

By the end of their performance, the judges had no choice but to award them a resounding yes! We'll have to wait until the live round to see the group's performance again, as they won the golden buzzer.