- All right, y'all, we are back
as we continue to celebrate talented kids
all over the country.
Not long ago, I had Terry Bradshaw
and Iain Armitage on the show.
It was such an interesting combo.
The conversation got flowing so much so
we couldn't actually include everything we taped
in that episode.
So today we're showing something
we never got to air, another incredibly talented kid.
Perfect for this hour, check it out.
Welcome back, y'all,
I'm here with Terry Bradshaw.
Give it up.
- Whoa.
(audience applauding)
- Alright y'all, at eight years old,
my next guest is well on his way
to making his mark in the world of dance.
When his recital was postponed this summer due to COVID
he decided it wasn't going to stop him from choreographing
his and performing his special routine.
He even let his six year old sister join in on the act.
Check it out.
(mystical ballet music)
Since his mom posted that video,
Maximus has gained quite a following,
not just for his moves, but for what he represents.
We have Maximus on the line, along with his mama, Michelle.
How are y'all doing?
- Good. - Good, Kelly.
- Hi, well Maximus and Michelle meet Terry Bradshaw.
He's over here, if y'all can see him.
- [Terry] Hey Maximus, how ya doing bud?
- [Michelle] Hey Terry, my husband loves you.
- [Maximus] Hey Terry.
- Oh thank you, I would have fallen down three
or four times watching that, if I'd been doing that.
- He was watching you dance Maximus
and goes I'd of fallen down a few times already.
Well, Maximus you've got moves.
So how did you get into dance?
- So it first started when I was two and I
did non-stop dancing around the house.
So at three years old, I did my first dance class.
And so I love dance.
It makes me so happy.
I do jazz, ballet, tap, hip hop,
acro, baton, and color guard, that's my art.
- Wow. - Oh my gosh.
- And my favorite type of dance is ballet.
- Oh my God.
You are so graceful, pointing that toe.
I was like, oh, my toes started cramping.
I was like, I can't do it.
Well Maximus, tell us about this recital performance.
- So our recital got postponed
because we had to move and we're going to miss it.
So I decided to make up my own recital
with my sister included in it.
And it took us almost a month to like, get it correct.
And so we did songs from Beethoven, Chopin, and Tchaikovsky.
- Oh my God. - Very good.
- [Kelly] The fact that you know those names.
- Can you spell them? - It was.
- And beautiful Mom here helped
with my sister's hair and costume.
- [Kelly] Aww, that's awesome.
It's a family event.
I love it.
Did you ever try dance or gymnastics?
- Square dance.
- Square dancing, you're so Southern.
Well, I hear a lot of football players,
don't they do ballet sometimes?
- [Terry] Now, did the line dancing with,
when it came out in the '70's.
- [Kelly] Wait line, dancing?
like line dancing, like at a cowboy bar, or like, a?
- [Terry] Yes, yes.
- Oh yeah. - Yeah.
- [Terry] Yeah, but that's it, I'm no dancer.
- Okay. - I guess to sum it up.
- [Kelly] There's another show.
I want to see you on that.
Well, Michelle, you say Maximus has had to deal with a lot
of different reactions as a black male dancer, right?
- [Michelle] Yes, we're a military family
and Maximus has lived in five different places.
And he's also been to five different dance studios.
And most dancers are white females.
And Maximus is obviously neither of those.
So often when he goes to a new dance studio
he'll come home sad because he says,
no one talked to, talks to him.
And he sits in the corner by himself.
But then once Maximums finally does
some different dance moves and people see that he's actually
just as passionate about dance as they are,
then they embrace him and then he becomes friends.
- [Kelly] Look at him.
You get it, Maximus.
- This is our house all day, every day.
- I swear to God, if I could do that,
I'd be doing it right now.
- [Terry] If you could do that,
that's exactly how they'd take you to the hospital.
(Terry and Kelly laughing)
- [Kelly] I'd be like stuck.
It'd be fine.
Well Maximus, you say you want to be a role model
to other young dancers, right?
- Definitely, so one time somebody was like,
"Oh, boys don't dance."
And I was like, yes, they do.
And so I think that all boys should dance,
including you, Terry.
(Kelly laughing)
- Hey, I'm gonna tell you what.
My son, my four year old son, he loves,
he and my daughter
both listen to this giant music box thing I have at my house
and they turn it on and they took,
and they both put on ballet recitals all, every day.
Like they love, they both love ballet, my son loves it.
He loves doing it just as much as River.
I think it's awesome.
And it's beautiful.
So Maximus, I know that you have a number of celebrity fans.
Well we happen to have one on the line
who wants to meet you.
He's a young performer and he's even giving you,
he's giving you a shout out on social media.
So say hi to Young Sheldon himself, Iain Armitage.
- Hey Maximus.
- Hi.
- Oh my gosh, y'all are so cool.
So Iain, what would you like to say anything to Maximus?
- Yes, you are amazing, oh my goodness.
When I watched the dance recital you did with your sister
I was like, okay, this kid is incredible.
Then I read up on you some more.
You are like amazing.
They said, do you have any like
words that you would want to say to Maximus?
Like as inspiration or something?
I said, I think he should be saying inspirational words
to me because this kid is awesome.
- [Kelly] Oh my gosh.
- You are destined to great things.
You are the coolest, thank you so much
for being a wonderful role model for everyone.
And yes, boys do dance
and I think it's wonderful what you do.
You're graceful, you're amazing.
You're strong, you're awesome.
Don't let anyone tell you otherwise
- [Kelly] Iain Armitage for president.
- Yes that was so well said.
- [Kelly] I love you Iain.
Maximus, we do love you.
I loved your moves.
I think it was very inspiring and it was beautiful.
It was graceful on you, I love your moves, man.