Kensington teacher, student going viral for 'veggie dance' battle

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Close to 20 million people around the globe have seen the TikTok video of a 2nd grader and his teacher throw down in a "Veggie Dance" dance-off.

We tracked down the stars of the viral video at Deep Roots Charter School in Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood and found out firsthand how they won the hearts of the internet.

"It all started to teach Ahmad a lesson," says 2nd grade teacher Regina Laurie. "He kept telling me, 'Oh, Mrs. Laurie, you're old. Look at your (gray) hair.' So I said to myself, 'I'm going to challenge this boy to a dance-off. I'm going to dance rings around this boy and he doesn't even know it yet!'"

And that's exactly what Laurie did.

"I never knew she could dance like that," said 8-year-old Ahmad Dennis. "People were saying, 'They ate that,' and 'she ate you up!"

Viewers especially loved seeing a seasoned woman tear up the dance floor.

One comment read: "She left no crumbs."

"That's hysterical," Laurie says. "I cannot wrap my head around all this."

Laurie has been an educator for more than 30 years, but, no surprise, she also has a bachelor's degree in dance from Temple University.

Here's why she's thrilled this video is viral across the globe.

"I think that I sort of led the way in terms of having other teachers not be afraid to kick off their shoes and literally just show that you're also a person behind that role that we have," Laurie says.

Dean of Students Jigcara Grant posts videos like this all the time to show the love, confidence and support being poured into these kids.

Some viewers called Deep Roots Charter School a "real-life Abbott Elementary."

"When you come to this school, you feel loved," Grant said. "And we'll cheer you on no matter what. We spread all of the joy, positivity because we all need it."

They do this during lunchtime every Friday. They call it "Fun Friday."

"Let children be children," said CEO and Principal Lucilla Perry-Edwards. "A lot of times we push children and we just push books in front of them. Let them be kids."