No matter how much you love dancing, the chances of ever achieving the excellence of the shag dancing couple Charles Womble and Jackie McGee is almost impossible.
These two paired some 40 years ago and they are still wowing the crowds whenever they hit the dance floor.
Winning hundreds of competitions over the years, they are even members of the Swing Dance Hall of Fame.
This particular dance style that they perform known as shag first arose in the couple’s hometown of South Carolina and it is believed that it originated within the African American community of the Carolinas in the 1920s.
What is unique about this style is that it doesn’t have formal moves, but it involves quick and complex routines that leave spectators speechless.
When they took the floor at the Grand Nationals Masters Division, Womble and McGee first exchanged a quick hug and then launched in their well-known moves. What’s truly amazing is that the two came out of “retirement” just to treat the spectators of this show.
The style requires glides and dips hard to excel, but when it comes to this couple, nothing is impossible. Looking at them turning and twirling makes it all look like a piece of cake. It doesn’t come as a surprise that they went undefeated for 12 years in a row.
The couple smiles all the way through their enchanting performance and they perfectly communicate their moves through their eyes. It’s obvious the two wholeheartedly enjoy what they are doing.
The video of their performance at the Grand National Masters from 2013 that you can watch below has been seen by more than 2.2 million people. Fans from all over the world took their time to comment and express their amazement.
“I have watched a lot of couples doing the Shag but this is the best of them all… Their moves are so effortless and smooth… They just glide across the dance floor together and need I add how they compliment each other as well… Bravo to Charlie & Jackie Womble,” one person wrote.
“I just opened my iPad to this amazing and energetic dancing!!!!!! And I just love it!!!!!!!!! Charlie you and Jackie rock’!!!!!! I am crazy for the two of you!!!!!!!! And Jackie, you have your self one sexy man!!!!! You got yourself one big fan out of South Africa!!!!!! Keep up the good thing you guys are doing.” said another.
Not only ordinary people who enjoy watching people dance gave their comment on this stunning performance, but dance masters, too. One said:
“Really impressive demo of dance. I like any dance that looks smooth. I teach a few styles and I appreciate the effort that’s gone into their dancing. Well done.”
Among all those awards that they equally cherish are that of the Shaggers Hall of Fame, 2 Nationals Senior Championships, and a lifetime achievement award from the Society of Stranders (a shag dance society).
They have appeared on Good Morning America and the CBS Morning Show, and now enjoy spending their days being ambassadors for the dance style.
Take a look at Charlie and Jackie’s award-winning performance in the video below!
Young children showing incredible skills at playing instruments is always a delight to watch and listen to.
Cole Lam is a young pianist whose talent is described by many as unique. Videos of his enchanting performances can not only be seen on his YouTube channel that counts more than one million followers, by passersby who find themselves at the public places Lam plays at.
This time, Lam could be spotted playing the piano at London’s St. Pancras International Station. But, as it turned out, this particular performance was unlike any of his previous public shows.
Namely, as young Lam was showing off his talent, an elderly gentleman approached and tapped him on the shoulder asking him to play Queen’s greatest hit “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Needless to say, Lam was more than happy to do it.
The attention of all those people rushing around the place was then caught by the incredible music produced on that grand piano that once belonged to the music legend Elton John himself. We bet this was the first time for such a powerful melody to be heard from that instrument since John donated it to the station back in 2016.
It’s obvious the onlookers are a bit stunned and wonder how can someone so young deliver such performance in front of a huge crowd. As the melody progresses, it only gets better and better, and all those people’s smiling faces are just a prove of that.
What is interesting about Lam is that the piano is not the only instrument he mastered. If you are lucky enough, you may see him rocking the clarinet and the guitar, or even singing at various public places.
Everyone is eager to listen more of what Lam has to offer. Many even chose to put the performance on tape so that they could watch it over and over again.
By the way, the song is one that is truly iconic. You can see the crowd knows the lyrics by heart as they try to join in Lam by singing. However, they are perfectly aware that his playing is so great that they don’t want to ruin it by trying to do an impression of Freddie.
Lam plays the music pretty much as identical as the original one sounds as he’s pounding the keys where Freddie once belted the lyrics and goes soft at the quieter parts of this Queen’s masterpiece.
Looking at the people that gathered around Lam, you can notice that only some of them are tapping their feet. They won’t even move an inch, that’s how enchanted they are by what they are offered at the station where they spent some moments before heading where they all needed to be.
Now, if you wonder why that elderly man requested this particular song at the beginning, it’s because he’s heard Lam playing it before at this same station. In fact, Lam has performed here more than once, and he treated the crowd with other Queen’s hits like “Don’t Stop Me Now” and “Under Pressure.”
The best thing is that he has also performed some Elton John’s songs on his old piano, and that’s quite impressing, don’t you think so?
Now, if you ever see Lam performing, be sure to stop and listen. And if you are not that lucky, just visit his YouTube channel where you can hear him sing too.
Be sure to see the video that has been seen by more than 8 million people in just a few days. Enjoy!
Being a parent is quite a demanding job as you have to keep close eye on your kids at all times. And if you are a parent of an infant, that usually means spending sleepless nights trying to figure out why the little one cries, because honestly, sometimes it’s all babies do.
The first thing most parents do when their baby is crying is making sure they are not hungry, tired, and that their diaper is clean. But even if all these things are fine and the baby still can’t calm down, maybe you should consider using some of the remedies listed below.
1) Massage The Tips Of The Toes
Massaging specific parts of the infant can have soothing effect on the little one. If they are teething, experts say it would really help ease the pain if you massage the top of their teeny-tiny toes.
Source: Alyssa Pilney/Flickr
2) Swaddling Can Work Wonders
Swaddling the baby in a blanket gives them the sensation of still being in their mommy’s womb which helps calm them down.
Source: Andre Deak/Flickr
3) Rock-A-Bye Baby
Gently rocking the baby back and forth proved to be a very useful calming technique that even our parents and grandparents used quite often. This doesn’t come as a surprise as it really helps sooth the baby’s cries.
The right way to do it is to hold the baby in your arms as you move your hips back and forth with your legs placed far apart.
Source: Alyssa Pilney/Flickr
4) For Sinus Pain Or Discomfort
If the baby is experiencing sinus pain or discomfort try to ease the pain by applying gentle pressure on the central areas on the bottom of their feet.
Source: Red Rook/Flickr
5) More Massage
In case the baby shows symptoms of congestion in the chest and coughs, it would be for the best to visit a doctor. In the meantime, massaging them under the toes but above the arch will trigger feeling of relief.
Source: Cathrine/Flickr
6) Good Vibrations
Many parents say how the vibrating sounds of washers or dryers help their kids stop crying. In case nothing else helps, you may try placing the baby next to a machine that makes these types of sounds.
Provide constant supervision in order to keep your child safe.
Source: Ricardo Ko/Flickr
7) Sucking
Pacifiers calm babies easily and they are many times the little ones’ best friends. So in case you don’t have one, you may encourage the baby to suck their own thumb.
Source: NICHD/Flickr
8) Swing, Swing
If you can afford it, then buying a swing for your baby can be a great investment. Swings give babies that rocking and rhythmical sensation they love. Of course, make sure the model you get is suitable for your baby.
Source: Donnie Ray Jones/Flickr
9) Go For A Drive
Driving around is a great way of calming a crying baby. The vibration of a moving vehicle relaxes the babies. Before putting them in the car, always make sure they are safely placed in their car seat.
Source: Michael McIlwraith/Flickr
10) Skin To Skin
One of the best ways to make a baby stop crying is to allow skin-to-skin contact. So placing your baby on your chest will not only help the little one, but will allow you to have a great bonding time together.
Source: Tina Lawson/Flickr
11) Soothe The Solar Plexus
In case the infant feels tummy pain, their solar plexus, a bundle of nerves in the center of the torso, can be greatly affected. If this is the case, you can ease their discomfort by massaging the center of their feet.
Source: Amy the Nurse/Flickr
12) Super Sling
Using baby sling for carrying the baby allows for the little one to be close to you and feel safe and secure knowing their mom or dad are there right next to them.
Source: Andrew Dawes/Flickr
13) Rocking In The Rocking Chair
Rocking chairs are perfect for both the baby and the parent to enjoy together and take some rest. All you need to do is sit down comfortably and gently cradle the little one in your arms.
Source: Rockin’Rita/Flickr
14) Turn On A Fan
When you’ve tried it all but the baby is still fuzzy, maybe you should get a fan and just switch it on. The soft hum will help the baby fall asleep and calm down easily.
Just make sure you don’t place it too close to the infant as the cold air can have ab adverse effect.
15) Reflexology
Constipation and indigestion can be treated by massaging the area between the center of the baby’s feet and the pads of their feet as experts believe it helps ease the pain in the upper abdomen.
Source: miss pupik/Flickr
16) The Answer To Gas
Most infants struggle with colic as a result of their inability to release the gas from their body. Besides medications, a gentle massage of the area between the baby’s heel and the center of their feet can help a great deal as the nerves of this area are connected to the lower abdomen.
Source: Buster Benson/Flickr
17) White Noise Wonders
As we mentioned before, the sounds and the vibrations fans make can help calm a crying baby.
But, if you don’t have one around the house, there are plenty of videos online, or you can just turn on the vacuum cleaner.
Source: Mark Doliner/Flickr
18) A Simple Hush
Repeated shushing have the same effect as vibrating machines and fans, so if you hear parents saying ‘Shh’ to their babies every now and then, now you know they do it in order to calm them down.
Source: Nate Davis/Flickr
19) One Final Foot Massage
This particular massage is one every parent needs to know of. As the nerves in the heal are linked with the pelvis and the tummy, massaging this part offers quite a relief.
20) Head Outside
Babies can get bored easily, so if they won’t stop crying and you believe they are not in pain, then you should just take them out for some fresh air. The new things they perceive and the different sounds they hear may help them calm down and get interested in the surrounding.
Source: K Tao/Flickr
21) Singing
Singing lullabies, of course, is the perfect way of getting your bundle of joy calm. No matter if you are not good at singing, your voice is something the baby is the most familiar with and it will make for a great bonding experience, too.
Source: makelessnoise/Flickr
22) Bath Time
Who doesn’t enjoy taking a nice bath. It’s calming and help release all your senses. Warm water is an excellent relax therapy and your baby will definitely enjoy it.
Source: Scott/Flickr
23) Turn Off The TV
Little babies can easily get overwhelmed by all the light and the noises that surround them. Very often, this might be the reason for their uncontrollable crying. So whenever you feel the atmosphere in the house is too dense, just turn the TV off and dim the lights.
24) Check The Temperature
Always make sure the temperature in the house is the right one. As feeling too hot or too cold may result in the baby feeling uncomfortable.
Source: Ged Carroll/Flickr
25) The Colic Carry
The ‘colic carry’ or ‘the colic hold’ is a super helping technique when it comes to soothing any pain or discomfort at the baby.
If you haven’t heard of it already, it’s a technique of holding the baby stretched out on your forearm. This applies gentle pressure to their stomach and relieves the pain.
Source: Andrew Laing/Flickr
26) Play Time!
Play time equals fun time. No matter how young they are, all babies love playing with toys. It helps keep them entertained and forget of the crying, at least for a while.
Many times, simple games as peek-a-boo do wonders!
Source: Derek Dysart/Flickr
27) General Massage
Fussy babies react greatly to any form of massage, so whenever they feel nervous, just try massaging the baby’s head, forehead, their arms, and legs. Actually, give them a massage on the whole body.
Source: Valentina Powers/Flickr
28) Nursing Problems
If your baby is not at ease and you are nursing, it might be that some of the foods you consume to trigger gas at your infant and irritate them.
So in case you are breastfeeding, make sure you avoid coffee and dairy products as much as you can.
Source: Jessica Pankratz/Flickr
29) Teamwork
If you’ve tried most of the techniques mentioned above but the baby is still crying, it might be just the time for the other parent to take the role.
Source: gautsch./Flickr
30) If All Else Fails…
If nothing really helps calm your baby down, maybe something more serious is in question, so if the crying doesn’t stop for a longer period of time, always consult with a pediatrician.
The “King of Rock and Roll,” legendary Elvis Presley left the world a legacy that is popular even today, years after his passing. His legendary music lives on and even members of the youngest generations get to enjoy the memorable melodies and lyrics of his greatest hits.
Daniel is a 2-year-old boy who is still learning how to speak, but that doesn’t stop him from belting Elvis’ “Can’t Help Falling in Love With You” without missing a single word or beat.
The boy’s father, Steve Converse, is a musician who believes his role as a parents is to expose the little one to as many things as possible so that he can pick those he’s passionate about. That led to young Daniel getting enchanted with Elvis’ music.
The most amazing thing is that it’s the first time that Daniel ever sings using a microphone.
It’s obvious Daniel inherited his dad’s talent and is a cute performer in the making, but Steve says he doesn’t want to force his son in any direction. He should be a musician only if he feels he wants to, not just because he’s a natural.
Regarding the performance, however, it may not be perfect, but we bet you’ve never seen a better one done by such a young kid.
The iconic song Daniel performed was initially released back in 1961 as part of the King’s album Blue Hawaii and has been considered one of the best of all time. Many famous musicians among which Bob Dylan tried to give this piece of music a new life, and it turned great every time.
All of the versions done throughout the years provoked the same deep emotions at the listeners. But we have to agree that when someone as young as Daniel does a rendition, it’s beyond sweet.
Music fans from all around the world agree that Elvis’ music is timeless. Some of his other hits that are still very popular nowadays are “Jailhouse Rock” and “Love Me Tender.”
As for sweet Daniel, he reminded us that music is the universal language that everyone understands.
You can take a look at his adorable singing in the video below!
The bond between grandparents and grandchildren is one of the purest and strongest out there. The little ones are well aware of the fact that their grandmas and grandpas are there to buy them a bunch of stuff and spoil them rotten. Above all, in these elderly members of their family, the kids can always find shelter.
That grandparents are ready to go above and beyond for the safety and the well-being of the grandchildren can be clearly seen from the following story. Namely, on the night of June 10th, 37-year-old Benjamin Dillon made a huge mistake when he chose the wrong grandma and grandpa to mess with.
Namely, as Patty Roth and her husband were babysitting their granddaughter, Dillon broke in and tried to kidnap the 6-year-old girl.
Speaking to Fox 59, Roth said how her husband went into “granddaddy beast mode’ and had the creep out of the apartment. He courageously fought the man back until the police arrived.
“I was sound asleep in my bedroom and this guy came kicking in and said, ‘You have my daughter,’ I was nervous, very nervous. I was shaking so bad,” Roth recalled.
The girl, of course, wasn’t his daughter, but he was so high that he got into the wrong apartment.
Luckily, the girl wasn’t hurt and Dillon was soon taken by the police whom he tried to fight. Because of his aggressive behavior, officers used a Taser gun several times to subdue him.
”I don’t understand why he picked our apartment. I’ll never figure that one out. I hope he gets the help he needs and I hope he gets himself back on his feet.”
Although the incident took place in June, the story of Dillon went viral just recently.
Roth believes Dillon should get some help in order to fight his drug addiction, but she’s also giving him a warning, saying:
”I wouldn’t want him walking back in my apartment again. He will regret it the next time.”
I guess the moral of the story is to never mess with grandparents, don’t you think so?
The sweet face of then 6-year-old Amy “Dolly” Everett became the symbol of the unspoiled wilderness of the country when the Akubra Hats offered her a modeling contract and featured her photos.
But sadly, with the fame came something neither Dolly, nor her parents ever imagined. The sweet girl became target of bullies who made her life a living hell. As a result of the pressure she felt, Dolly committed suicide at the age of 14.
Dolly started receiving insults of young boys who called her a “slut.” Her mom, Kate, said how she didn’t even know whether those boys knew the meaning of that word they used to describe her daughter. She said, “I used to tell her: ‘It will get better, you’ll fit in. Everybody’s trying to fit in and they’re just working out their pecking order. Try not to be mean’.”
Her parents recall how Dolly changed completely. From a girl with a vibrant personality, she turned into a nervy teen who didn’t want to attend school any longer.
As Dolly grew up on a farm, she knew what it felt like to be isolated. However, the bullying she experienced only worsened the situation and intensified the feeling of loneliness.
Dolly’s father, Tick Everett, felt the need to share his loving daughter’s story by writing an emotional message on Facebook. He spoke of his girl’s life and invited the bullies to the service so they could witness the complete devastation they had created.
He asked everyone to join in the fight against bullying as it is something that results in lives being destroyed forever.
The parents describe the night of their daughter’s suicide, January 3, 2018, as the “longest night” of their lives. They were holding the girl’s lifeless body in their hands for hours before the ambulance arrived at the far farm where they live.
“This week has been an example of how social media should be used, it has also been an example of how it shouldn’t be. If we can help other precious lives from being lost and the suffering of so many, then Doll’s life will not be wasted,” he wrote.
The family also added a painting done by Dolly. It was one of a skinny girl bent backwards with a message that read: “Talk, even if your voice shakes.”
Akruba Hats released a statement where they expressed their disbelief and shock by the news of Dolly’s tragic death. They started a campaign to help spread awareness regarding bullying.
The Everetts on the other hand started a foundation in Dolly’s name called Dolly’s Dream. This foundation supports charities and contributes to positive changes.
It’s amazing how Dolly’s family showed so much strength during the darkest period of their lives.
They were willing to share their daughter’s story in order to prevent other young children to become victims of bullying.
Even if you don’t consider yourself much of a country fan, just hearing the name of the greatest country star ever, Dolly Parton, you are very likely to start singing the lyrics ‘Jolene, Jolene.’
This time, ‘Jolene’ was perfectly reshaped by Dolly herself and the a cappella group Pentatonix! Although giving new twist to such a famous song is always a risk, they did an outstanding job and stole the hearts of millions of people worldwide.
The unique remake resulted in a captivating version as great as that of the original that was released back in 1973.
Pentatonix have expressed their love for Dolly in the past, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that they put their hearts and soul into this rendition.
It certainly sounds unlike anything you’ve heard so far.
When they first took the stage of Britain’s Got Talent back in 2014, it didn’t look like the boy’s group Collabo would offer something worth all the yeses from the strict judges among which Simon Cowell who is known for creating One Direction.
What’s most, when he saw the group of boys lining up for their performance, he rolled his eyes and expected for something boring to take place.
“Do you know what? When the five of you came out, I thought, ‘Here we go again, another boy band. This is gonna be awful.’”
Simon even lost all the hopes of the boys ever wowing him or the rest of his colleagues when he learned the members of the group had been singing together for a month only. Above all, none of them was in fact a musician. They were laborers, hospital workers, and gas station attendants.
Judge Amanda Holden didn’t expect anything spectacular either as she buried her face in her hands.
But, the judges were there to listen and give their feedback on the performance that was about to unfold in front of their eyes.
To everyone’s surprise, what the boy’s band had to offer stunned everyone. Even now, their singing of the Broadway’s hit “Stars” from Les Misérables is considered to be one of the best ever.
Not only their vocals blended in a perfect harmony, but they all got to perform a solo in order to show off their incredible singing skills.
The judges and the audience couldn’t contain their excitement. The band got standing ovations and had everyone on their feet. Enchanting singing, indeed.
“You’ve reduced me to tears,” said Holden. “I just could burst with pride for you. That was bloody brilliant.”
After saying he didn’t have high hopes, Simon gave the boys a compliment.
“… it was an absolutely brilliant audition,” the normally cranky judge admitted.
The group members couldn’t believe their performance would trigger such emotions at those who got to listen to them singing. They were overwhelmed and shed tears of joy.
“You’ve achieved that in a month — that’s astonishing,” said judge Alesha Dixon. “That is definitely by far one of the strongest auditions I’ve ever seen.”
On their way off the stage, the song “I Dreamed a Dream” could be heard in the background. And like the performer of that piece of music from Les Misérables, Susan Biyle, Collabo won the competition.
Collabo are now considered World’s number one Musical Theatre Group that has released 4 albums and tours all over the world.
Michael Auger, Jamie Lambert, Matthew Pagan, Thomas J. Redgrave, and Richard Hadfield (who has now left the band) are now renowned musicians who are stealing the hearts of fans everywhere they go.
Below is the video of their audition. Make sure you watch it!
