Hey, what's up y'all?
Look, I always love it when Ellen surprises a school
and I get to do that today.
There's an amazing principal over here
that started a dance club for students
that can't afford dance classes, and I think that's so awesome.
And they don't know this, but they're
going to learn from me today.
Yeah, that's right.
It's time for tWitch, please help me dance.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Washington Elementary serves a community here in Visalia,
that it's in the center of the Section 8, which
means that is 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 in to 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
one time that I was cleaning the warehouse.
Hey guys, what time is the dance class?
I came up here--
[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!
OK, you guys lead the way.
Lead the way.
OK.
Five, six, seven, and eight.
Hey what's up?
Can I join in?
[SCREAMING]
Hi y'all.
When tWitch surprised us, I felt amazing.
I screamed to the top of my lungs.
Can I teach you guys some stuff?
[SCREAMING]
We jump to the right first.
Which way do we jump first?
Right.
And then we jump to the left.
Which way do we jump first?
Left.
What?
[LAUGHING]
Ah!
OK.
One, two.
Seven, eight.
One, two.
Seven, eight.
I am so excited to be learning a dance from tWitch.
Now, I feel like I could do anything.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Slide to the right.
Now we slide to the left.
Six, seven, eight.
Y'all I'm so excited.
Give a round of applause for yourselves.
I really want you guys to continue practicing this,
because I have a friend that wants you
to perform this on her show.
You're going to perform this on the Ellen Show!
[SCREAMING]
Ellen, Ellen, Ellen, Ellen, Ellen, Ellen!
TWitch has just changed our lives.
I never thought this would happen.
Thank you so much for having us.
I'll see you all in a couple of days.
This is going to be so special.
Thank you so much for coming and have a safe drive.
Hey listen, I rode up in style.
I'm in my Buick Regal GS.
My playlist is right.
Just be glad that y'all ain't in the car listening to me sing.
You know what I'm saying?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Yay!
Hi y'all!
[SCREAMING]
OK, are y'all ready?
[SCREAMS]
You're about to perform on the Ellen Show.
Are you ready to perform?
[SCREAMS]
All right, let's go do it!
Let's go.
Let's go this way.
Please welcome the Washington Elementary Dance Club.
[CHEERING]
[DANCE MUSIC PLAYING]
Whoo.
Huh.
What you sip 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.
There ain't no excuses, excuses babe.
Someone else.
Your mama raised you better than that.
Huh.
Your mama raised better than that.
Your mama raised you better than that.
Huh.
[APPLAUSE]
I mean, come on.
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's that feel?
That you're--
[CHEERING]
Ellen called us role models and it's amazing.
I think that this has cemented the believe in my girls
that anything is possible.
If we can do it this time just with dance,
imagine what else we can do.
Like Ellen said, you are going to be
role models for other girls.
Yes.
And you did it to the best that you could, and it was amazing,
and people are going to see that.
Yo, the girls just lit the stage up.
I mean the looks on their faces, the smiles when
they saw the audience, when they saw Ellen, it was amazing.
This is going to change their life forever.
And I hope they remember this as inspiration
that they can do anything.