Mini Soul Sister Johanna Colon Teaches Her 'Spicy' Dance Moves on 'GMA'
Aretha Franklin herself took notice of sassy Johanna's viral tap dance routine.
-- Meet this mini Aretha Franklin making the Internet go wild, even grabbing the attention from the original Queen of Soul herself.
Johanna Colón is her name and tap dancing is her game, already raking in more than 41 million views of her sassy dance routine to Franklin’s “Respect.”
“Johanna Colón is too cute! A friend of mine sent it to me,” the legendary Franklin wrote to ABC News of the 6-year-old’s video. “I thought I had those moves covered, but Johanna is serious! LOL. I'm going to have to rethink my choreography!"
North Carolina Girl Gets 'Respect' for Viral Dance Recital Routine
Little Johanna traveled all the way from Raleigh, North Carolina, with her family, dad Carlos, mom Elissa and brother CJ, to teach “Good Morning America” contributing co-host Michael Strahan “how to be spicy” with some of her sassy moves.
“She just has a really big personality and likes to show it off,” said Johanna’s mom, Elissa Colón.
First up was the snap, which Johanna really emphasized while shooting her arm over her head. Then came the shimmy, which Strahan mastered while making the little girl giggle.
“What are you laughing at? That’s my shimmy,” he joked with her.
The pint-sized soul sister has been dancing since she was 2 and credits her teacher, Miss Heather, for teaching her and her two friends alongside her in the viral video, Rain Lam and Elizabeth Johnson, all their fancy diva-tastic moves.
Even before all of Johanna’s recent fame, however, her mom said dance has played an important role for her daughter.
“Dance is where she gets to let loose and enjoy herself,” Colon told ABC station WTVD in Durham, North Carolina, explaining that Johanna’s brother suffers from Hirschsprung’s disease, a blockage of the large intestine, and requires a lot of care.
“She's very sweet and very kind," Colon added. "She spends a lot of time taking care of [her brother] and visiting him in the hospital.”