Israelis will make history at Crufts this weekend
America's Got Talent stars Roni and her border collie Rhythm are competing at the dog show in Birmingham
Brigit Grant is the Jewish News Supplements Editor
Roni Sagi has always known her border collie, Rhythm, was special. From the moment they started training together, it was clear Rhythm wasn’t just a talented dog—he was a real performer. Now after dazzling audiences and securing second place on America’s Got Talent and appearing on the cover of Jewish News’ Life magazine, the duo are set to perform at Crufts in Birmingham on Saturday, and will be making history as the first Israelis to compete in the Freestyle Heelwork to Music category.
Arriving in London on Tuesday from their home in Kfar Saba, the pair were welcomed at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, where by all accounts Rhythm received a star’s welcome and was soon dancing with Roni in the forecourt. It would be the first of many impromptu performances in London which, as Roni said, was “another beautiful city to cross off my bucket list of places where I would like to dance with Rhythm”.
Roni gave up an office job at the age of 25 to become a dog trainer and therapist, which is when she discovered dog dancing. “No one taught it in Israel, so I learnt online for two years,” says Roni, who then tried teaching moves to three of her own dogs. As good as they were, Roni was searching for a special dog who would be energised by a certain song and move to a tempo.
That dog was Rhythm, who was born in Poland in 2022 and on the recommendation of a trusted friend following a character examination, Roni’s first meeting with the five-month-old pup was at Ben Gurion airport.
Rhythm whose full name is Rhythm Makes My Heart Go Wow was the dance partner Roni had been hoping to find and when the duo were offered the chance to compete in America’s Got Talent, by the time they reached the quarter final performing to Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody they had two billion clicks on social media.
Since then Roni’s work as a dog dance trainer has taken her around the globe and her online lessons are sought after by dog owners who are keen for their pups to emulate Rhythm. The offers have been pouring in for him too, but his ‘mother’ is only interested in collaborating with those who share her values. “I already think of myself as the luckiest person in the world because I do the thing I love with the creature I love most, so it isn’t about who can pay the most. Anything we do must come from a good place to benefit dogs or humanity in general as it’s not about being famous.”
Ahead of going to the the NEC in Birmingham for Crufts, their sightseeing in London turned into a series of unforgettable moment which was a treat for passersby, particularly in St John’s Wood, where they recreated the iconic Abbey Road crossing—to the sound of Here Comes the Sun.
“London is so beautiful – we danced a lot!” said Roni before heading to Birmingham where they will join participants from around the globe who will be showcasing their choreographed routines in their category at 11.50 am on Saturday in the Main Arena. Hopefully they will return to Israel with a prize, though Roni already has a prize at home – her new baby girl Seraphina Set The World On Fire, who will soon be in training and then dancing with her dad, Rhythm.
For Roni’s dog dancing lessons visit ketatov.com
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