First Lady Michelle Obama hosted an event on Monday honoring some of the best performing arts students from around the country, inviting some special celebrity guests to hold panels and workshops for the students.
“We always think that there’s a good reason to invite a bunch of talented young people to the White House to make sure they know how special they are. The President and I and everyone on this stage, we know how extraordinary you guys are,” she told the students. “And these folks are here today to honor you and to hopefully inspire you. They’re also here with an important message for you about what it takes to succeed, not just on Broadway, but in life.”
Obama also showed off some of her dance moves with singer Gloria Estefan and choreographer Sergio Trujillo, who taught one of the workshops.
Actors Kristin Chenoweth, Matthew Morrison and Whoopi Goldberg, Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and Broadway legends Andrew Lloyd Webber and Stephen Schwartz also joined the festivities.
At the event, called “Broadway at the White House,” the students got to learn about various aspects of musical theater, including acting, composing, dancing, costume design and, of course, singing, which Obama joked is “something I know nothing about.”
The day began on a somber note, with Obama acknowledging Friday’s terrorist attacks in Paris and holding a moment of silence to honor the victims.
“Our thoughts and prayers of course are very much with the victims, their families, and all of the people of France. And we will continue to keep them in our hearts in the days ahead,” she said. “As my husband said on Friday, this was an attack not just on France, our dear friend and ally, but on all of humanity and our shared values. And as we mourn, we know that we must continue to show the strength of those values and hopes that the President spoke about when he talked. And the beauty is that all of you here, our young people that are here, you all reflect that passion, that creativity. You all are a part of those values that the President talked about. That’s what we’re protecting. We’re protecting what you all represent.”
According to the White House, the event will be part of a TV special, “Broadway at the White House,” airing on TLC on Thanksgiving.
You can see more photos of the event below.
– This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
