It seems like there is a new viral challenge almost every day. Artists have figured out that this is a fantastic way to keep people interested in their music and to help spread it around. One of the popular challenges going on right now is Ciara’s Level Up Challenge.
It started when the album was released and is meant for fans to show off their dance moves to the music.
“Right away there wasn’t an initial impact,” music journalist Jeff Benjamin said. “A lot of people know Ciara as being this incredible dancer, and she’s had so many great dance videos, from ‘Body Party’ to ‘Work,’ to ‘Gimme That,’ so many great dance moments.
“But this one really seems to be taking off, because, within a few days of the song’s release, the song actually rose on iTunes rather than falling off.”
Ciara’s challenge is a true challenge in the fact that she was going to select a winner.
Whoever could show off the best moves and energy would win $5,000. The singer recently surprised a father by telling him that he is the winner of the challenge.
She met up with him in person to deliver the news and the money. There was more to it than just his dance moves, though. Kennith Thomas also has a young child that was recently diagnosed with leukemia. In his challenge video, he explained how he does it to help keep his son calm and happy. He said:
“I just want to keep him as calm and happy at all times, to continue the positive energy.”
He added:
“I’m just being a dad at the end of the day. All I really wanted to do was to continue to make him happy.”
Ciara’s team wanted to surprise Thomas, so they informed his wife that he had won first.
She helped them surprise him by telling Thomas they wanted to present him with something at the CHOP theater. He had no idea that he had won.
He explained:
“Then my family started showing up. Then my wife’s family started showing up. Then my good friend, a photographer, showed up, and I was like ‘Why are you here?’ I was trying to play Inspector Gadget, but nobody knew anything. My wife was the only one who knew.”
Then, Ciara walked in the door, and he knew what was going on.
Still, he was completely shocked that he had won. He was also thrilled. Ciara hugged him and went straight over to his son. She picked him up and hugged him, too. Thomas said:
“She couldn’t put the baby down. She was there for a couple hours; we spoke about uplifting Kristian and about how much of a blessing he is. She said she felt like it was family hanging out, and it was really cool. We was just vibing.”
Ciara also gave the family a little performance.
She danced to the Level Up video, and baby Kristian watched from the crowd. He seemed to be as enamored with Ciara as everyone else. He had clearly heard her music and seen these dance moves before.
Thomas even decided to teach Ciara a couple dance moves. She was happy to learn them and was able to master them in no time. He hopes he will see them in an upcoming music video.
He added:
“I taught her one of the grooves that I did. She did it very good, too.”
Ciara presented Thomas and his family with a bunch of Level Up gear as their prizes for winning the challenge.
Her foundation, the Why Not You Foundation, also donated $5,000 to the Thomas family’s fund for travel and expenses related to Kristian’s care.
Kristian is clearly an incredibly special baby, and he has a lot of love and support. With his family by his side, he will continue to fight for his life. Maybe someday, he will get to go to a Ciara concert. His family will never forget the moment this artist helped them out and made them feel special.
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