Maybe this is the better way to defuse potentially tense situations with teens. A female police officer in Washington, D.C., wanted teens to disperse after a fight Monday and ended up in a dance-off with one of the young women.

According to the Washington Post:  (This is a great story. Take time to go read it.)

That's when Aaliyah Taylor, a 17-year-old senior at Ballou High School, walked up to the officer and started playing "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" on her phone. Then she did the Nae Nae dance. The officer, according to Taylor, laughed and said she had far better dance moves than that.

"Instead of us fighting, she tried to turn it around and make it something fun," Taylor said. "I never expected cops to be that cool. There are some good cops." Taylor said the officer told the group that if the teens won the dance-off, they could stay. If the officer won, they would have to leave.

And so the dance-off began. Both competitors declared themselves the winner and everyone went home happy.

About the Author

Keep Reading

A 1-year-old receives the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine at a clinic in Texas. Of the nearly 2,000 U.S. measles cases reported this year, 93% of those who were infected were unvaccinated or their vaccination status was unknown, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images)

Credit: Getty Images

Featured

Yemaya Lyles (right) wipes away tears during a news conference in front of the Rockdale County Public Schools administration building on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. Lyles' son, Antonio, was assaulted by a paraprofessional, who has since been fired and charged with battery. Lyles says her case against the school district has dragged on since then. (Miguel Martinez/AJC 2023)

Credit: Miguel Martinez