School talent shows are usually pretty fun; they’re a rare opportunity for kids to express a unique interest or gifting. I still vividly remember my own attempts to dance to Irene Cara’s “What A Feeling” back in 1984.
In that moment, I thought I was the coolest, best dancer EVER. Grainy video footage, however, proves otherwise.
But some kids really shine when given the chance. Remember when social outcast Napoleon stunned his high school when he rocked out in his moon boots to Jamiroquai’s Canned Heat?
The crowd loved it.
Although the movie “Napoleon Dynamite” was released back in 2004, it’s still considered a cult classic by many, with so many quoteable lines.
To this day, if my kids complain they’re hungry, my go-to response is: “Make yourself a dang quesadilla!”
And Chapstick? I am physically unable to apply Chapstick without first uttering the words, “But my lips hurt real bad.”
But I’m not the only one who still loves Napoleon & his oddball ways; in fact, one little dude created his own amazing homage to Napoleon via dance.
A nine-year-old boy wowed the audience at his school talent show by performing a hilariously perfect rendition of the dance scene from the movie Napoleon Dynamite, & social media loves it, too.
Third grader Jude Gagner decided to participate in his school’s talent show this year. But he wasn’t going to do any run-of-the-mill magic tricks or comedy bits. Nope.
Jude wasn’t going to just dance like Napoleon; he was going to BE Napoleon.
In case you’ve forgotten just how awesome Napoleon’s dance moves were, here’s a clip from the original movie to jog your memory:
Although Jude has been a fan of the movie for awhile -he and his dad often watch it together- his parents were shocked when he announced that he not only wanted to perform in the talent show, but already had had his act ready to go.
Jude’s mother Katie told Popsugar that:
He taught it to himself and surprised us when he asked if he could sign up for his school talent show.
And just how did Jude perfect his moves?
Jude actually learned [the dance] from watching YouTube videos.
(See, parents? YouTube can be educational after all!)
Not only did Jude mimic Napoleon’s exact dance moves, but his costume was a perfect rendition of the real thing, too.
Check it out! The wig, the glasses, the “Vote For Pedro” white t-shirt… Jude has nailed it!
And if you think the look he created is a winner, just wait until you see him in motion. Jude’s mom Katie filmed the dance & posted it to her Facebook page, and it took off from there.
Jude’s video quickly became an internet sensation, earning over 114K likes and 257K shares in one week.
People are LOVING Jude’s dance, and not just because they’re Napoleon Dynamite fans. It’s funny, adorable, quirky, and most importantly- unique.
It takes a lot of guts for any child to get up in front of their peers, alone, to perform. And Jude’s offbeat choice was an especially brave one, complete with costume.
And the purpose of choosing such a fun scene to perform: to bring people joy. To make them laugh.
That was Jude’s goal. Katie states in a recent Facebook update that:
He is happy so many people saw his dance, we have received messages from people telling him how amazing he is.
That jude put a smile on their face just from his dance, we love and appreciate you all for helping make him the happiest kid in the world.
Jude wanted to make people laugh, and worked hard to give a fantastically funny performance. I’m not sure if Jude won his school talent show (do they still give prizes for talent shows?), but he’s definitely won the hearts of everyone on social media.