Dancing is good for the soul.
It’s a timeless hobby that allows people to express themselves through the beauty of movement. It’s almost like dancing is hardwired into us. Everyone, from the youngest child to the oldest adult, can’t help but sway their body when they hear a catchy song.
And Shirley Clements, a 60-year-old dance teacher from Surrey, Canada, proves that when it comes to dancing, age is nothing but a number!
In an amazing video posted by the Artistic Edge Dance Academy, you see Shirley performing alongside students a quarter of her age— and outshining them all!
Shirley has been dancing since she was a kid and is trained in everything from ballet and flamingo to jazz. She hasn’t grown out of her passion as she’s gotten older and continues to practice three hours a day.
A few years ago, Shirley and her students signed up for a dance competition— but the teacher had a plan up her sleeve.
In an interview with BC’s Teacher Federation, she recalled thinking: “This time, I’m going to dance.” Clad in a red, sequined jacket and track pants, Shirley and her students impressed the crowd with their fast-paced, hip-hop routine.
At the beginning of the video, you see teen dancers flood the stage as Bruno Mars’s “Uptown Funk” plays over the loudspeaker.
Then, you see 60-year-old Shirley join them on the frontline.
Almost instantly, the crowd begins to roar. When she actually begins to dance though, they absolutely go wild.
The teacher completely outshines her students, nailing every move with a ferocious expression on her face.
Her energy is infectious as she performs her fast-paced footwork, even throwing out high-kicks. Honestly, if I didn’t know any better, I’d swear it was another kid in an older woman’s costume.
At the end of the routine, Shirley even does a head spin— but you’ll have to see it to believe it for yourself!
After the class’s performance was posted online, Shirley went completely viral and was even asked to perform on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. During the segment, Ellen presented her with a $10,000 cheque to open her own dance studio.
“The experience on Ellen was surreal,” she later said.
“But then, my life has been full of serendipity.
Of her students, Shirley told Ellen: “They are my love, and they are part of my heart. They worked their butts off and they show me love and respect, and they’re the nicest kids on the planet.”
Since being uploaded to YouTube, Shirley’s unbelievable dance moves have been viewed millions of times.
Comments on the video read:
“She killed it!!! Lord bless that lady!!!! She freaking killed had me cracking up and in tears!!! What a wonderful teacher!!!”
“Shows that birthdays don’t count! This lady rocks!!!!”
“This gave me goosebumps. Love this.”
Watch the incredible performance below!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
