Tayvis Akpan, Owensboro’s “dancing man,” was spotted near a coffee shop on Frederica Street Saturday. As he stood in line to order, he was approached by several people telling him how much they enjoyed his dancing. As he exited the store into the parking lot, people continued to shower him with compliments until he neared the street’s edge where honks of approval could be heard.
Akpan has made a name for himself in Owensboro, but his ultimate goal is to return to Lexington and finish college.
“I wanted to graduate from there [the University of Kentucky] because it was my dream,” Akpan said.
A 2017 graduate of Owensboro High School, Akpan said he dealt with depression in high school and was actually a bit of an introvert. During his freshman year at the University of Kentucky (UK), he recalls walking down Euclid Avenue on the way to Kroger and feeling the urge to begin moving to his music. Akpan said, when he finally took off his sunglasses and earbuds, he was surprised to hear cars honking and people applauding in response to his dancing ability.
Akpan, now a sophomore in college and still dancing his way around town, has seemingly demonstrated his intelligence level by scoring a 25 on the ACT (American College Testing) and gaining admission into the University of Kentucky. Unfortunately, like many college students his age, he hasn’t always felt equipped to go off to college and live own his own — whether it’s writing extended essays or filling out FAFSA information.
“They can teach this other stuff — math and science — they can teach that all day, but if you can’t teach a student how to survive, make money or manage money, they’re going to be broke,” Akpan said.
After the cost of books, tuition and his dorm room, Akpan admittedly found that money went very quickly during his time in Lexington, but he isn’t ready to give up on his college dream quite yet.
“I’m trying to be more independent,” Akpan said. “My mom wants me to get the experience of being away from home.”
Akpan plans to return to Lexington in the spring, to attend Bluegrass Community & Technical College, but in the meantime, is trying to meet the necessary requirements to re-enroll.
“I think it’s just getting the feel of what it’s like to be in college and how the classes are,” Akpan said. “I was thinking about doing something in fine arts or entertainment, or, if that doesn’t work out, I might be doing trade school.”
Melissa Coombs, a cashier at the Murphy USA gas station near Wal-mart, said she recalls seeing Akpan on several occasions — dancing.
“One day I saw him out dancing and he was dancing with a shopping cart,” Coombs said, adding that she could easily see him through the glass and could not stop laughing.
Coombs and her two daughters then saw Akpan in the Taco Bell parking lot and decided to take him his favorite drink that she recalled him purchasing when he would visit the gas station. When they delivered Akpan the drink, Coombs’ girls also requested a picture.
That picture would soon become the header for a GoFundMe account Coombs would establish at the advice of a friend.
“I just went ahead and started a GoFundMe account,” Coombs said. “I’ve seen so many people stop and honk and wave. I know how much college is. UK has a special place in my life because the medical center there saved my daddy’s life.”
Coombs set the fundraising goal at $3,000, $405 of which has been raised so far. She said that Akpan has access to the funds in order to pay some of his bills.
“It always makes me smile when I see him,” Coombs said. “It just gives me hope that the world won’t be such a terrible place. He could be the next somebody to make mankind better.”
