A video of an OCU professor went viral after a student posted a clip of her dancing to their Twitter account.
During a play analysis class, Courtney DiBello, assistant professor of Stage Management, gave the class a breather by leading a jam session to Sir Mix-a-Lot’s 1992 smash hit, “Baby Got Back.” DiBello said many of her students rapped the lyrics, while others danced along.
“Baby Got Back” came into discussion during a lecture on the play “M. Butterfly.”
“My School of Theatre design and production students and I were discussing the play ‘M. Butterfly’ and the concept of art begetting art. I used the analogy of Nicki Minaj sampling ‘Baby Got Back’ by Sir Mix-A-Lot in her song ‘Anaconda.’ This was my ‘cool’ professor attempt at using a more modern example of art of the past inspiring art of the present,” DiBello said.
DiBello said she never planned on playing the song in class, but the lecture was diverted after a student expressed confusion at her reference.
“Graham Darnell was confused by my example and asked for clarification. It was then revealed that he had never been introduced to the Mr. A-Lot classic. The rest of my class was appalled by his lack of pop culture prowess and requested that I introduce Graham to the piece. As we were in the middle of my lecture and class discussion, I denied them their petition. But in a fortuitous turn of events, my plans for the day’s topic were completed prior to class dismissal. With the remaining time, the Apple TV in the classroom and Spotify was utilized. And since I got the music in me, and also apparently it is in my students, we ‘raved,’” DiBello said.
Meanwhile, from the back of the class, Hayden Wampler, design and production freshman, said he pulled out his phone and recorded a video featuring DiBello performing the first verse and Hunter Lane, design and production freshman, twerking to the left. Wampler said he then posted the clip to his Twitter account with the caption “High School: your college professors will expect the upmost professionalism and respect from you; My Professor: *video.*”
Wampler said he was using the video to capture the irony in the juxtaposed relationship between high school and college.
“Throughout high school, I was always told that college would be extremely hard, there would be a ton of work and that professors would not take anything for an excuse. Now that I’m in college, I’ve realized just how much fun it actually is. Yes, there’s a lot of work, and it is challenging, but along with that comes good relationships with friends and professors and the understanding that we go to college because we love what we do. High school portrays college as hard, but I find it exciting and fun.” Wampler said.
DiBello said she believes her approach is an important part of her process as a professor.
“Teachers are teachers. I have been told in a peer review once that my teaching style seems to be ‘overly casual.’ And I understand the description. I only disagree with ‘overly.’ I teach the arts. I need my classroom to be a very safe environment. I work very hard at reprogramming my students from years of regurgitation teaching and ask them to create and dream. And after they dream, be brave enough to vocalize those dreams and support them with research and intellectual thought.” DiBello said.
Shortly after posting, the clip began building traction on Twitter.
“The video gained slow attention at first but then began to pick up and gained most of its traction in less than 48 hours,” Wampler said.
By the end of that 48-hour period, the video had over 17 thousand views, 940 likes and 168 retweets.
“I had hoped it would get some attention but not nearly as much as it did,” Wampler said.
DiBello, not being on Twitter, said she discovered the video after being notified by Lindsey Marcus, OCU web services coordinator.
“Lindsey was wanting to confirm the professor in the video was indeed me. I found the video hilarious. The caption was also amusing.” DiBello said.
DiBello said Twitter was just the beginning because the video was picked up days later by viral video Instagram account @bitch, which garnered the clip over one million views and 1,400 comments.
“It wasn’t until the video was retweeted by a reported influencer that I followed its progress. I’d also get texts from my students giving me updates as the video hit certain benchmark views. I had family seeing the video completely on their own.” DiBello said.
Wampler said, as far as he knows, he was credited in every repost.
“Most accounts had tagged me and given me credit along with Hunter’s dance skills, but as of now I don’t know if anyone claimed that they own the video.” Wampler said.
Many of the students at OCU showed enthusiasm towards the video going viral, such as Maddie Reese, acting junior, who said she was excited to let her friends back home know who the star of the video was.
“It was fun sending the video to my friends who don’t go to OCU, and being like, ‘this is literally my teacher’ because I saw people from my hometown liking it who didn’t know her personally. I’m taking her stage management class next semester, and I was pretty nervous about it, but after seeing this clip, it’s nice to know that she brings out her silly side in the classroom on occasion. It helped me know I’ll be comfortable there.” Reese said.
Most of the feedback on the Instagram post was positive, with users complimenting Lane’s dance skills and DiBello’s approach to the classroom.
“If there were more teachers like this, I bet that kids would actually enjoy school more and kid’s stress would go down. lmao it looks so fun in there” said @kenzzz_282 in a comment on the Instagram repost.
Wampler said he was happy to see positivity directed toward his professor on such a large scale.
“She deserves the attention. She is absolutely amazing and caters to the needs of her students. She deserves to be appreciated.” Wampler said.
DiBello said she was tickled by the experience, despite her apathy toward viral videos as a whole.
“I have no opinion on viral videos. I’m old, and I honestly don’t get the whole thing. I’m just happy to be a part of one and glad to see my student having such a positive response.” DiBello said.
The video can be found on Wampler’s Twitter account
@haydenwamplerr.
As her father’ i new sending her to Yale was mond well speent.
As her father’ i new sending her to Yale was money well spent.