Nanaimo teen's viral dance video earns more than 22 million views

Nanaimo -

When Jacksun was younger he dreamed of lacing-up a pair of space-boots.

"For a long time I wanted to be an astronaut," the now 18-year-old says.

Instead of wanting to blast-off into space, when Carlow was little, he hoped to lift up people’s moods.

"Just putting smiles on people’s faces," 19-year-old Carlow says. "I loved that."

But then Jacksun saw an out-of-this-world dance performance on TV.

"I see these dudes spinning on their heads doing crazy stuff," Jackson remembers. "Let’s try that! I want to do that!"

Just like when Carlow couldn’t stop smiling after happening upon a local dance performance.

"‘That’s so cool mom!’" Carlow recalls saying. "‘Look at them! I want to do that!’"

Fast-forward a decade or so and Jacksun and Carlow found themselves in the same city, in the same dance class.

"We had good chemistry right off the bat," Jacksun says.

"There’s something going on here," Carlow remembers thinking. "We should definitely do something!"

They decided to become a duo named Funkenometry and started winning bigger and bigger dance competitions.

"And when we performed in L.A. we got scouted for [the TV show] ‘World of Dance,’" Jacksun says.

Jacksun and Carlow impressed the Jennifer Lopez-led judges panel enough to make it through three rounds on the reality show’s third season, and be invited back for the fourth.

"We could actually take dancing as a career," Carlow says.

Their professional prospects couldn’t have been going better until along came COVID-19 and they returned home.

"Everyone was freaking out," Jackson says.

"I was scared," Carlow admits.

The pair didn’t see each other for months, until they came up with a plan.

"We couldn’t go perform," Jackson says, before Carlow adds: "So let’s bring it to them on the screen."

They started posting videos of themselves on Facebook and Tik Tok, performing energetic dances choreographed to infectious songs ranging from the Bee Gees to Stevie Wonder. They were shot all over Nanaimo from bowling alley lanes to a wedding vow surprise.

"It’s crazy!" Jackson smiles.

"I didn’t expect it to blow up like it did," Carlow adds.

The Funkenometry dance videos have earned hundreds of thousands of followers and this ‘Stayin’ Alive’ performance on Facebook has been viewed more than 22 million times.

"The biggest thing we want people to take away from our videos is a smile," Jackson says.

"And maybe inspire them to go dance or something," Carlow adds.

"And just kind of follow your dreams!" Jackson says.

Because even if you don’t end up as an astronaut travelling to space, you could still find yourself like Funkanometry — en route to becoming stars.