If you watch my show, you know how much I love my DJ tWitch.
So when I heard about an elementary school principal who
started a free dance club for her students
who couldn't afford to take classes on their own,
I knew that I wanted to send tWitch to surprise them.
And here's what happened.
Washington Elementary serves a community here in Visalia
that it's in the center of a Section 8, which means
that it's low income rent.
A lot of our students go home to single parent homes.
A lot of them go to homes that their parents are not there,
because some of them have two jobs.
We decided to start a dance club after school.
And it has just ballooned into something amazing for them.
A lot of these girls, when we're doing dance--
it just takes the stress away of school, and home life,
and all the stuff going on.
Because of the dance club, my students are now empowered.
They're confident.
It's kind of all snowballed together
to make them a better student and a better person.
My school is a school that nobody
wanted to bring their kids to.
And I promised myself that I was going to change that.
I want this school to be a place where parents say,
I am proud to send my kids to that school.
The original building was built in 1906.
And I found this wall of pictures
the one time that I was cleaning the warehouse.
Hey guys, what time is the dance class?
I came up here--
[EXCITED SCREAMING]
This is tWitch!
You guys, I love everything that you're doing.
I had to come see it for myself.
Should we go surprise these girls right now?
Yes!
Let's go!
Five, six, seven and eight.
Hey, what's up?
Can I join you guys?
[EXCITED SCREAMING]
When tWitch surprised us, I felt amazing.
I screamed to the top of my lungs.
I am so excited to be learning how to dance with tWitch.
Now I feel like I can do anything.
I really want you guys to continue practicing this,
because I have a friend that wants you
to perform this on her show.
[EXCITED SCREAMING]
You're going to perform this on the Ellen show!
Oh, tWitch, come on.
That was so sweet.
Ellen, it's just like--
as you could see from the package,
there's just so much love surrounding that school.
So you know, a lot of those girls--
I would say most if not all of them
have never taken a formal dance class before.
And they were so excited about it.
And I just went in and soaked it up, man.
And I'm so excited for them.
Well they were so moved, obviously.
That was such a big surprise for them.
And they're going to perform in a few minutes.
But first, I want to introduce their incredible principal
and dance teacher.
Liz and Mackenzie, come on out.
All right, well obviously y'all were very surprised by tWitch.
I think you ran up to hug tWitch,
and wrapped Mackenzie's head under your arm.
I ended up with lipstick on my chest.
It was amazing.
Yeah, it was pretty cool.
OK, well first of all, y'all are amazing.
And when we heard about this, we were so
excited to go and surprise you.
So you are the principal, and you are the dance teacher.
And so you started this because they couldn't afford classes?
That's right.
One of the things that I really wanted to do
was to have kids want to come to school excited about something
at the end of the day.
And I wanted them to develop confidence
and to believe in themselves to say, you know what?
I can do anything.
And then we also build up academics
through that as well, of course.
But dancing was amazing for us.
But this really isn't--
you're paying out of your pocket,
because these kids can't really afford to do this.
One of my students, I saw the potential in her.
I saw this fire.
I saw this enthusiasm for dancing and gymnastics.
And I knew her family couldn't afford it.
So I said, you know what?
I will not stop at anything to make sure that she continues
to believe in herself.
So thanks to the Serrato fund, we're
sending her to gymnastics.
And it has changed her life.
Wow.
And obviously, I mean, to have a principal like Liz
is like-- it's just everything.
It's incredible.
Like, you can't imagine being able to work
for someone amazing like that.
But then she's a principal to all the students.
And they're just so blessed because she
cares about every single one of her students.
She knows every single one of their names.
She knows all of their stories.
She knows everything that's going on with them.
And just the passion that she puts into being the principal--
and I do, I call her my hero.
I like, I want to be like you when I grow up.
That's what we need in all the schools.
So that's amazing that you care that much,
and know who they are, and know their stories.
Are you ready to see the girls perform?
Yes!
I am too.
Here we go.
Please welcome the Washington Elementary Dance Club.
[MUSIC - MEGHAN TRAINOR, "NO EXCUSES"]
Woo!
Huh!
What you sipping on that got you talking crazy?
Looking at me sideways, always coming at me.
Why you, why you acting hard when you just a baby?
Boy, I keep it real with you, but you trying to play me.
Have you lost your mind?
Open up your eyes.
Huh!
Someone else, you must have confused me,
confused me with someone else.
You must have confused me, confused me with someone else.
There's ain't no excuses, excuses, babe.
Someone else.
Your mama raised you better than that.
Huh!
'Cause your mama raised you better than that.
Huh!
Good job, girls!
Let's talk about how proud you are of these girls.
Ellen, I'm so proud of them.
Because I mean, the growth of when I first came last week
to what you've done now--
and you guys, you performed on national television.
I mean, I am so proud of you.
I am so proud of you.
And Ellen, it's just important also
for them to know that dreams come true.
You know what I mean?
Like, it doesn't matter where you are.
It doesn't-- that doesn't make it where you're going to be.
You dream, and you dream big.
You can make it happen.
That's right.
And you just keep doing what you're doing.
And you're inspiring all kinds of other little girls out there
that are watching you and going, look what they just did.
So you're now role models for other little girls out there.
How does that feel that you're--
[CHEERING]
All right, one more thing.
Our friends at Shutterfly-- we have friends at Shutterfly,
and they care about supporting schools in need.
And they want to give your dance club a check for $20,000.
[CHEERING]
Look at my girls!
I know.
This was all part of tWitch's new show.
It's called "tWitch Please.
Help Me Dance."
It's so much fun.
He teaches people how to dance for special events
in their lives.
In one episode he dances with a huge fan at his prom.
And in another he sets up an incredible flash mob proposal.
You can watch it on Ellentube now.
And you're going to love it because Twitch is awesome,
and dancing is awesome, and surprising people is awesome.
So tWitch, please, dance with me.