The Korean dance style “Gangnam” has popped up across the globe. Here in the US, the main disciple of the dance, South Korean rapper Psy, has been featured on Today, The New York Times and Harvard Business Review. His video has over 350 million hits on YouTube, making it the highest viewed music video on that Internet channel.

Now the unique dance, featuring moves that could best described as someone riding a horse like a cowboy, was taught to over 50 students at the Ardell Stone School of Dancing. The school, a southwest Roanoke county fixture for over 40 years, teaches not only classical dances like ballet and tap, but modern influenced jazz and hip-hop.

Lynn Hampton, dance instructor and Vice President, says using pop culture dance inspires kids. “They all see what is popular, and they want to be part of something that is so exciting”, says Ms. Hampton. “And this motivates the kids to do something different. It motivates them to move and exercise. It motivates them to dance.”

Submitted by Ardell Stone School of Dancing

On Friday, October 5, the school was outside the dance studio making their version of this viral video to post online.  You can check out some of the photos here.