MURRIETA, Calif. — A team of young California tap dancers is celebrating a gold medal performance.
In this Zevely Zone, I headed to the Norris Performing Arts Center in Murrieta to meet the champs.
Imagine how exciting it would be to fly to Prague and win a gold medal.
"USA, USA, USA," chanted dancers from the California Tap Company.
If you could somehow bottle their energy, you'd be forever young, and believe it or not, I haven't even 'tapped' into why these kids are so special.
"You have to be chosen by the US Federation to be able to represent the USA," said Michelle Miner.
Miner coaches the California Tap Company and is one of the best choreographers in the world. To hear it from her dancers, they treasure her.
"I just love her so much; I'm just grateful," said 17-year-old dancer Aubrey Dryden with tears in her eyes.
Emotions are still raw because just for the team to be chosen to go to the World Tap Dance Championships in Prague was a huge honor. When I asked if there was one mom who wanted to talk to me, everyone pointed to Tricia Munson.
"Listen it's passion, not crazy," said Tricia with a big smile.
The team mom told me the kids shine on stage because Michelle sees a star in every one of them.
"What she does for these kids is phenomenal. She pushes them to be their very best, and they want to do it for themselves and for her, and I love that for my kid," said Tricia.
Twenty American dancers competed against 1,700 hundred performers from around the world in what is essentially the Olympics of tap dancing.
"When you win, they play your national anthem. You win the gold medal. It's really neat," said Michelle.
Round after round, the California Tap Company kept surviving and advancing.
"Everybody is so nervous, and all the cameras are on you. Are you going to make the semi-finals? When you make the semis, everyone is screaming and super happy. Then when you make the finals there are tears because it's the top six in the world," said Michelle.
Both the Children and Junior divisions took home gold. "I was crying. I had my hands on my head or one hand on my head because I was videotaping," said Michelle.
For the group performance, the team may have danced to Charlie Daniels' classic song 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia', but the mastermind who created the perfect lines and got them all in step is nothing but an angel.
"I think you should give your coach a hug," I said.
The whole team embraced Michelle.
"I love you guys," she said.
The California Tap Company is an all-star team of dancers from all over California, including Murrieta, the Bay Area, and San Diego.