Ballarat mum-of-three Kristy Sellars has finished runner-up in one of the world's biggest talent shows.
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Sellars, who also won Australia's Got Talent in 2019, was one of the 11 acts performing in the final of America's Got Talent.
The finale aired live across the US on Thursday, Australian time.
Down to the final two, and up for a prize of $US1 million and a headline show in Las Vegas, Sellars just missed out on being voted the winner, with dance group The Mayyas taking out the win.
Sellars, the founder of PhysiPole Studios in Ballarat, has emerged as an international internet sensation following her success on the show.
Students and instructors from PhysiPole's Ballarat studio have been sending their support while watching at home.
Ballarat instructor Hannah Drew said watching Sellars on the world stage was an inspiration.
"To be able to pull the whole audience into another world and story, her diversity is amazing," Ms Drew said.
She said she loved how Sellars could pull the audience into another world and story.
Sellars has been building strength and fine-tuning her routine back home between her audition in May and the finals in September.
She then pulled all the elements of her final performance together in a week.
Sellars had a whole crew cheering her on from the live audience in Los Angeles, including family friends and colleagues.
Ballarat studio co-owner Celestee Roylance said the audience had been supportive of Sellars performances.
"It was amazing to watch in person ... you could feel the appreciation for the art of all the pieces of the routine."
Sellars now has the world watching.
Her father Frank McCarthy, who lives in Warnambool, said she had already received a number of inquiries from people interested in her performance.
He said at least 100 hours of rehearsing went into creating just minutes of one of her incredible multimedia-supported pole dancing routines.
Judge Simon Cowell spoke to her after her finals performance, telling her they should work together.
He even suggested her performances would make a great live show in Las Vegas.
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Nieve Walton
Nieve covers federal and state politics for The Courier focusing on the issues facing Ballarat. Something bothering you in the community or want to see change? Send an email at nieve.walton@thecourier.com.au
Nieve covers federal and state politics for The Courier focusing on the issues facing Ballarat. Something bothering you in the community or want to see change? Send an email at nieve.walton@thecourier.com.au
