What began as a fun way to get his students away from their computer screens for a little while evolved into one of the most delightful routines on the internet.
Scott Pankey wanted to give his students some inspiration… but how could he do that?
Well, he decided to get his students out of their chairs (and comfort zones) by getting them up and grooving!
But the drama and technology teacher at New Tech High School in Dallas never expected to become an internet sensation overnight.
People just can’t get enough of Pankey’s expertly choreographed dance moves.
In fact, the epic performance was posted on YouTube in January 2015. Since then, it’s been viewed over 14 million times!
The video features Pankey and more than 200 of his students jiving to Bruno Mars’ catchy version of “Uptown Funk.” After months of practice, Pankey’s wild idea paid off and everyone was able to execute each step perfectly.
It all began over Christmas break. So, what gave the teacher the genius idea in the first place?
“I heard the song and loved it,” Pankey told 13WMAZ. “It got me up and dancing in my living room.”
Pankey loved the beat in the song so much that he decided to choreograph his own dance routine for everyone to perform. But would his students cooperate?
“They’re tech students. Theater is a stretch for them. I told them for the next three weeks, we’re going to practice,” Pankey recalls.
Even though some of the kids were skeptical, Pankey inspired them by setting a goal.
“I told them, ‘guys, we’re going to get 1,000 hits’,” said Pankey, who was secretly thinking that if the video bombed, he’d share it with his Facebook friends to get a few hits.
But that’s not what happened at all.
On the first day that the video appeared on YouTube, it received over one million views!
Local news channels quickly got wind of the video and it went viral. Even Michelle Obama and Jill Biden shared the video, and Bruno Mars mentioned it in a tweet!
Of course, Pankey and his students had never anticipated such an overwhelming response.
“They were in awe. We were receiving e-mails from all over the world… it was a huge realization for them on the impact they can make on the world,” said Pankey.
So, why did a video of a teacher and his students dancing to “Uptown Funk” become such a sensation?
Well, if you watch the video for yourself, you’ll see why. It’s lighthearted, uplifting, and sure to put a smile on anybody’s face… which is just what we all need right now!
The video begins with Pankey sitting at his desk, looking bored. But when the opening beats of “Uptown Funk” begin, something extraordinary happens.
Pankey gets up from his desk and starts grooving to the beat.
He walks around the classrooms and hallways, with students joining in with their own moves as he goes along. Eventually, over 200 students flood the stairwell for the grand finale.
But, although Pankey and his students make the moves look easy, it’s surprising how professional the sequence looks considering that the teacher has no formal dance training!
Watch the entire video below to see Pankey and his students’ moves for yourself.
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