Before millions of people watched her on TV, Sofie Dossi was just a kid who loved gymnastics, dance, and seeing what her body could do. She’d bend herself into weird positions, tuck her legs behind her head, and try things most kids wouldn’t even dream of. Back then, nobody could have guessed those childhood habits would one day land her on one of America’s biggest stages.
Fast forward a few years: at just 14, Sofie stood in front of the America’s Got Talent judges and did something that left the whole room stunned. She balanced upside down, held a bow and arrow between her feet, and fired at a target. Bullseye. The crowd went wild.
It was the kind of moment people don’t forget. But there’s way more to Sofie’s story than one cool trick. Behind it all was a curious kid, endless hours of practice, a family that had her back, and a stubborn determination to turn something she loved into a real career.
A Kid Who Realized She Was Different
Sofie Dossi was born on June 21, 2001, in Cypress, California. She grew up with her parents, Abir and Mike, and her older brother, Zak.
As a kid, she was into gymnastics and dance. She was naturally bendy and loved surprising her family with the positions she could twist herself into—like watching TV with her legs curled behind her head. To her, it was just something she could do. She never thought of it as a talent, let alone something people would pay to see.
That all started to shift when she was around 12. She was browsing YouTube one day and stumbled on a video of a contortionist performing with Cirque du Soleil. Watching someone turn crazy flexibility into an art form blew her mind. Suddenly, the weird moves she’d always done felt like they could be something bigger.
So she started teaching herself contortion by watching videos online and practicing at home. She didn’t have a fancy professional background—most of her early progress came from experimenting, studying other performers, and just figuring things out as she went.
Her parents were supportive. Her mom, Abir, helped manage her schooling and schedule. Her dad, Mike, pitched in with training and helped with equipment and props. And her brother Zak became a key part of her creative world.
As her skills grew, Sofie started recording videos of herself. Those videos would end up changing everything.
One YouTube Video Changed Her Life
Sofie wasn’t trying to become a TV star. She was just sharing her performances online and having fun showing people what she could do.
But one of those videos caught the eye of the America’s Got Talent production team.
In an interview with Scholastic, Sofie said producers found her through a YouTube video of her performing at a birthday party. They were impressed and invited her to audition.
Imagine being 14 and suddenly getting the chance to perform in front of millions of viewers. For Sofie, it was a shot to prove her weird childhood hobby could be something serious.
In 2016, she walked onto the AGT stage, ready to show what she had.
The Audition Nobody Saw Coming
When Sofie first stepped on stage, the judges wanted to know what she brought to the table.
She introduced herself as a contortionist and hand balancer. Even that sounded unusual—but nobody was ready for what came next.
She started bending her body into positions that looked almost impossible. Her legs swung over her head, and she showed insane control while balancing upside down.
Then she kicked it up a notch.
Using only her feet, she picked up an apple and ate it. The audience laughed and gasped at the same time. It was a simple trick, but it showed just how much control she had over her feet.
And then came the moment everyone remembers.
Sofie moved into a handstand, set up a bow and arrow, and—instead of using her hands—aimed and fired with her feet. While upside down. The arrow flew straight to the target.
She hit it.
The place erupted. People cheered, the judges’ jaws dropped, and the stage filled with applause.
What made it so impressive wasn’t just the trick itself. She had to combine flexibility, upper-body strength, balance, coordination, and focus—all at once. At 14, she’d turned a quirky skill into a performance people would talk about for years.
All four judges voted yes.
Reba McEntire’s Golden Buzzer Changed Everything
After her audition, Sofie came back for the Judge Cuts round with an even bigger routine. She wanted to show she was more than one trick.
This time, she mixed in aerial and contortion elements—and even a flaming arrow. The guest judge was country star Reba McEntire.
Reba was so blown away that she hit the Golden Buzzer.
Confetti rained down as Sofie realized what had just happened. She was overcome with emotion. For a teenager who’d started out practicing at home and posting videos, this was huge. The Golden Buzzer sent her straight to the live shows and made her one of the season’s most talked-about contestants.
From Young Contestant to AGT Finalist
Sofie kept impressing throughout Season 11. Her performances showed she wasn’t relying on one trick—she could blend contortion, balancing, aerial moves, and wild physical challenges into full routines.
She made it all the way to the grand finale.
She didn’t win—singer Grace VanderWaal took the season—but reaching the final was a massive achievement for someone so young. More importantly, the show gave her something priceless: an international audience.
People who’d never heard of Sofie Dossi were suddenly searching for her videos and following her online, waiting to see what she’d do next.
Her Family Was a Big Part of the Journey
Behind Sofie’s rise was a family that helped her turn her talent into a career.
Her parents supported her training and helped her juggle school, performances, and travel. Her dad also helped with the practical stuff—equipment and props.
Her brother Zak became especially important as she built her online presence. He helped film and produce videos, and the two of them worked together on content for her YouTube channel. That collaboration helped Sofie connect with fans beyond TV—sharing her personality, her challenges, and her everyday life with people around the world.
It was a big step in turning her from a TV contestant into a recognizable internet personality.
Life After the Show: TV, YouTube, and Acting
After AGT, Sofie’s career kept growing.
She appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, performed at events and venues, and gained more experience as a professional entertainer.
Meanwhile, she focused on building her YouTube channel with Zak. Her videos included flexibility challenges, comedy, collabs, weird experiments, and behind-the-scenes looks at her life. Millions of people got hooked—not just on her contortion skills, but on her personality.
She also started acting, appearing in shows like K.C. Undercover, Bizaardvark, and Boss Cheer. And she dipped into music—in 2022, she released her debut single “Bunny,” which she co-wrote with her brother.
Her career was becoming a mix of performance, online entertainment, acting, and creative projects.
Eight Years Later, She Came Back
One of the coolest moments in Sofie’s career came in 2024, when she returned to the show that made her famous—this time on America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League.
The girl who’d once amazed the judges with a bow and arrow was now a seasoned performer with years of professional experience.
Her new routine was way more ambitious, combining contortion and aerial skills with dramatic balancing elements—including the Wheel of Death. She showed just how far she’d come.
Heidi Klum was impressed enough to give her the Golden Buzzer.
It was a full-circle moment. Eight years earlier, Reba McEntire had given her the same break. Now another judge was recognizing her growth. Sofie reached the Fantasy League finale, though she didn’t win. Still, her return was a reminder of how much she’d accomplished since that first audition at 14.
What’s Sofie Dossi Up to Now?
By 2025 and 2026, Sofie had spread her wings into several different areas.
One exciting development: she opened Dossi Dossi Athletics in Cypress, California, in 2025 with her friend Makena Carrion. The gym focuses on acrobatics, tumbling, flexibility, and aerial training.
It’s a new chapter for Sofie. After years of developing her own abilities, she now gets to help others discover and grow their physical talents.
She’s also kept up her social media career. Her YouTube channel has passed nine million subscribers and over a billion views. Her TikTok and Instagram accounts have huge followings too. She keeps sharing videos, collaborating with other creators, and working on entertainment projects.
Acting is still on her radar, alongside performing and running her business.
She’s no longer just “that teenager from America’s Got Talent”—she’s built a much broader career.
The Girl Who Shot an Arrow With Her Feet Never Stopped Pushing Herself
Looking back at Sofie’s first AGT audition, it’s easy to see why it stuck with people. A 14-year-old girl walked on stage, balanced upside down, and shot a bow and arrow with her feet. It was a jaw-dropping moment—but it was also the result of years of curiosity, practice, and family support.
Her journey didn’t end when the judges said yes, or even when Reba hit the Golden Buzzer. She kept performing, creating videos, trying acting, making music, and eventually opening a place where others could learn acrobatics and flexibility.
She may not have won in 2016, but she turned that appearance into something way bigger.
Today, Sofie Dossi’s story is about more than one amazing audition. It’s about a little girl who discovered something unusual about herself, found the courage to run with it, and turned a childhood passion into an international career.
And for everyone who first saw her in 2016, that unforgettable moment remains: a young girl, upside down, aiming a bow with her feet—and sending an arrow straight to the target.