A 4-year-old girl from Crawfordsville is being featured on news stations around the world following a Dance By Deborah recital in which the tyke did absolutely nothing.
The video of Charlie Cosby, posted on the popular social media app TikTok, has reached nearly five million views since it was uploaded Aug. 16.
Young Charlie can be seen standing completely still in the seven-minute video, ignoring the rehearsed dance routine and family members in the crowd while other participants perform around her.
Asked if stage fright caused her to stand so still, Charlie simply replied that she “doesn’t do anything she doesn’t want to.”
“We’ve all felt as Charlie did on that stage,” mother Tiffany Cosby said. “After the recital Charlie asked me, ‘Do I have to dance outside again? It was hot.’ Hopefully next year we’ll be able to do it indoors. Maybe that’ll put a little pep in her step.”
One of the participants leading the recital was Charlie’s older sister Gianna Cosby, who can be seen encouraging her to join the fun.
Twelve-year-old Gianna has been a Dance By Deborah participant nearly her entire life; she is the daughter of Deborah Kochert, owner of the dance studio.
“Charlie has always wanted to dance. Her grandmother Lisa Cosby said we should get her enrolled; so we thought, ‘What better place than the same company her sister has gone through,’” Tiffany said. “We’ve enrolled her again because, contrary to appearances, she loves to dance.”
Even as of Thursday, Tiffany and husband Cary still feel as though they are in a state of shock as media giants continue to call, text and email requests for interviews.
The video and interviews with the family have appeared on outlets such as CBS This Morning, NBC Today Show, Fox News, Buzzfeed, Insider (London and India), Daily Mail and the Norwegian television station Dagbladet. It was also discussed Thursday morning on the Bob & Tom Show.
“One thing that I am glad about from all of this crazy roller coaster is that when things get posted online, a lot of times things turn negative and people turn hateful,” Tiffany said. “It’s great to see the immense outpouring of love and support sent her way. It makes me so excited for when she grows up. It’s definitely going to be an awesome memory later in life.”
Tiffany said the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the nation’s current civil unrest provided a backdrop that has allowed the video to shine through it all.
“I think it’s exactly what America needed. It all kind of hit at the right time.”
View the video: https://www.tiktok.com/@chubbybeagle/video/6862279930458295557
