4-year-old steals the show with her Bowie State band imitation, 'Cutest little thing ever'

A heartwarming moment was caught on camera last month when a 4-year-old girl connected with a university student through their shared love of music and dance. Mikaella Steward, a junior at Bowie State University and captain of the Bowie State Sensations color guard team, was performing with the school's Symphony of Soul at Georgetown Hill Early School's Darnestown campus, when she noticed little Kinsey Disher, a student in the Pre-K program, following along with her every move.

In an interview with WTOP, Steward said she altered her routine ever so slightly to make it easier for Kinsey to catch on, and the little girl did. "It was just the cutest little thing ever!" said Steward. After the performance, the Bowie State students spent some time with the school children, who got to learn about Bowie State and the instruments in the band as part of their music instruction. As soon as the performance ended, Kinsey ran over to Steward and gave her a hug, holding her hand the entire time. Steward said the experience was heartwarming and a prime example of "you never know who's looking up to you." The exchange was caught on video and posted on Instagram, generating comments like "Cuteness overload!" and "Baby girl hit all the moves too!!"

Kinsey's mother, Christie, said her daughter loves to dance and was bubbling over with enthusiasm about the experience when she came home from school that day. The visit had been arranged as part of the school's celebration of Black History Month, and Chelsea Rose, assistant director of the Darnestown campus, explained the connection – she's a Bowie State University alumna. Rose said the Instagram post seemed to strike a chord with lots of people. "In such a racially-sensitive society and culture right now, it was so nice just to kind of put some light and some warmth into the atmosphere," she said.

Steward said she loved her time with the children at the Darnestown school, especially because she's majoring in early childhood education. When told that Steward hopes to go into a career working with children, Disher said "Oh, wow! That's amazing!" and said it was just so great "seeing the world through kids' eyes" and watching her little girl dance with joy. 

The exchange between Steward and Kinsey highlights the power of music and dance in bringing people together, regardless of age, race, or background. It also shows how important it is for role models to lead by example, as Steward did by altering her routine to make it easier for Kinsey to follow along. In a world that can often feel divided and polarized, moments like this remind us of our shared humanity and the joy that can come from simple acts of kindness and connection. As Steward said, "you never know who's looking up to you," and this is a powerful reminder to always strive to be the best version of ourselves, especially when there are young eyes watching.