Relating to students can be a tough gig for teachers, especially when there’s a massive age gap. Who really understands TikTok or what today’s teens are talking about? Well, Scot Pankey, a theater teacher at New Tech High School in Dallas, Texas, certainly knows how to bridge that gap. Back in 2015, he figured out that his students were obsessed with YouTube videos, so he took matters into his own hands with a creative twist—a massive, coordinated dance to Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk.”
What began as a fun classroom project soon went viral, with millions of views, praise from Bruno Mars himself, and students everywhere wishing they could have Pankey as their teacher.
The video starts with Pankey, looking bored and fed up behind his desk, before he flips his pencil into the air and busts out some moves. Initially, it’s just him grooving solo, but things quickly get interesting when the school’s halls fill with students who join him in a slick, synchronized routine that would impress even the “High School Musical” crew. It’s clear from the first move: Pankey is a teacher like no other.
“I heard ‘Uptown Funk’ before Christmas and fell in love with it,” Pankey told The Dallas Morning News in January 2015, after the video exploded in popularity. “We are a project-based school, so I thought, let’s get the students involved in something fun and creative.”
Pankey proposed the project to six of his classes, telling them, “I’m not a dancer, but let’s do this together.” His enthusiasm and willingness to learn alongside the students made it an instant hit. What’s even more impressive is that the entire dance was filmed in one continuous take, moving through different parts of the school without a single edit. The result? A viral masterpiece that caught the attention of thousands.
But the surprises didn’t stop there. Bruno Mars himself took to Facebook to praise the video, writing, “I cried at the end… I’m still a thug though. Thank you to everyone involved in making this video.”
Pankey was overwhelmed by the positive response. “It’s been very rewarding and all positive,” he shared. Fans flooded the video’s comments, with many expressing admiration for how Pankey connected with his students. One YouTube commenter even wrote, “Scot Pankey, will you marry me?? Oh wait, I’m married—still, this video makes me smile every time.”
What do you think of Pankey’s viral dance video? Have you ever had a teacher who brought so much fun into the classroom? Share your thoughts and pass on this feel-good story to friends and family!