Funkanometry is competing tonight on Canada’s Got Talent, with the biggest cash prize in Canadian television history on the line. And with $1 million as the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, the Nanaimo dance duo of Carlow Rush and Jacksun Fryer is leaving nothing to chance during the final round of competition.
“We’ve been saving some tricks for the very end,” Fryer, 21, told the Times Colonist on Monday. “We’re doing something completely different that I don’t think any dance group has done before.”
The inventive dancers, who set their breakdance-inspired moves to popular songs from the past 40 years, advanced last week to the final round of eight performers, thanks to high praise from judges judges Howie Mandel, Lilly Singh, Trish Stratus, Kardinal Offishall and host Lindsay Ell.
“We’re extremely proud to be in the [finals]. Even if we don’t take the win, were happy to be here,” Rush, 22, said.
For the two-hour live finale, which airs tonight at 5 p.m. on CityTV, they will compete against singer Eshan Sobti (who is from Mission, B.C.), magician Mark Clearview (Toronto, Ont.), singer Natalie Morris (Toronto, Ont.), singer Rebecca Strong (Prince Albert, Sask.), comedian Sterling V. Scott (Edmonton, AB), rollerskating duo Mat & Mym (Quebec City, Que.), and comedian Travis Lindsay (Halifax, NS).
Though 116 acts from across Canada were in competition when the reality series premiered March 19, only Funkanometry and a trio of Victoria talents — operatic soprano Holly Melville, comic actor Shawn O’Hara, and comedian Maninder Waraich — were from the Vancouver Island area.
The winner will be decided by fan vote, which gives a bit of an edge to Rush and Fryer, who competed as teens in 2019 on NBC’s World of Dance, the Emmy Award-winning reality competition hosted by Jennifer Lopez. They have since amassed more than 1 million followers on Instagram, 1.6 million followers on Facebook, and 1.8 million followers on TikTok.
“It’s up to Canada now,” Fryer said. “Hopefully they enjoy what we bring.”
Rush described their series-closing routine as a “high risk, high reward” concept, but the two friends did not want to elaborate further, to avoid spoiling the element of surprise. “If it works out, it will be the best performance we’ve ever done in our lives,” Fryer said.
“And if it doesn’t, it could look really bad,” Rush said with a laugh.
This isn’t the first time Funkanometry has competed for $1 million. The duo advanced to the semi-finals of America’s Got Talent in 2022, but did not make it to the finals. As for what they will do with the money, should they eventually win the $1 million prize, both were reluctant to speculate. “We’ve got to win it first,” Fryer said.
“But the big thing on our list right now is to re-invest it in Funkanometry. We want to do a tour across Canada and perform for everyone who voted for us.”
To vote for Funkanometry during the finale of Canada’s Got Talent, visit citytv.com/vote.
