‘Dancing Deputy' Gets Into ‘Formation,' Video Goes Viral

Officer's Rendition of Beyonce's 'Formation' Goes Viral

A Virginia police officer got into "formation" for a good cause, and now the video of his performance is getting a lot of attention. 

Deuntay Diggs, a second lieutenant for the Stafford County Sheriff's Office in Stafford, Virginia, performed his rendition of Beyonce's "Formation" for a pep rally at North Stafford High School Friday.

But the popular performance almost didn't happen. 

Diggs said the school reached out to him through his fiance, Benjamin Leitner, a technology resource teacher at the school. He agreed to do a dance to "Formation" and used YouTube videos to learn the dance in two hours.

NSHS Dance team rocks!

A video posted by Deuntay Diggs (@diggsdt) on Oct 15, 2016 at 6:23am PDT

But days before the performance, Diggs got some unexpected news; his biological mother has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. She only had two months to live. 

Diggs decided to cancel the pep rally performance so he could be with his mother in Baltimore. As he spoke with his mother, Diggs lightened the mood by showing her videos of him dancing at a school supply fundraiser in August. 

Diggs said his mother told him to "keep on dancing," and her words inspired him to go back and dance at the school. 

"I didn't want to let them down," he said. 

The 31-year-old lieutenant said the experience of dancing in front of the students was exhilarating and overwhelming. 

"It was nothing like I have ever felt before," Diggs said. 

While the students thanked him for his performance and for adding more spirit to their pep rally, Diggs said he was the one who was truly thankful. 

"They took my mind off of what had befallen my family," Diggs said.

The video has since been shared through on Twitter and Instagram thousands of times. 

Diggs said he hopes to use his new-found fame to help build a relationship between police and the communities they serve. 

Growing up, Diggs said he was taught police officers were bad. But those childhood experiences inspired him to do more work with youth, especially those from underprivileged communities.  

Buzzfeed reported that Diggs is the first openly gay cadet to attend the Virginia Military Institute, and that he is also the first openly gay deputy to serve at the Stafford County Sheriff's Office

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