Page 6 - April 2023 Issue.indd

Making Moves and
Spreading Joy

aroline County native
Wayne “Ty” Reese has
been making moves and
spreading joy with his
CUncle Grandpa charac-
ter busting out all over the country.
He recently won Live with Kelly and
Ryan’s Virtual Dance Trivia contest
and has racked up over four million
views on Tik-Tok. All that while work-
ing towards his Master of Social Work
degree and raising five (soon to be six)

children makes this local guy a pretty
interesting dude! basically a message to the Baltimore more than 326,000 followers, with one

Club Culture that dancing has no age particular video that was filmed in the
A 1997 graduate of North Caroline limit.”, says Reese. “At that point in time, Denver airport that has been viewed
High, Wayne enlisted in the Army two
I was the oldest active dancer on the more than four million times. And now
months after graduation and served our

scene, so everyone started referring to he can add “Live with Kelly and Ryan
country until his honorable discharge
me as Uncle Ty which, in the beginning, Virtual Dancer of the Year” to his list
in 2008. Throughout his CCPS career I didn't like because it felt like an insult of accomplishments! In October 2022,

at Denton Elementary, Lockerman
but after consideration, I realized it just at the suggestion of his classmate Amy

Middle School and North Caroline
meant I was respected”. Horne, Reese submitted a clip to the
High and into his Army years, Wayne
show. He didn’t win for the week he
developed a reputation as a cut-up, He quickly learned how much he was entered so he forgot about it. In late
frequently being called the “class clown”. respected by the other dancers, espe-
He developed a love for entertaining cially around competition time. Reese January, the show’s producers called
and in 2014, developed a character first came on the Baltimore club scene to let him know he’d won and would

named Uncle Grandpa. “Th e reason in 2011 when he started frequenting be appearing live on the show for an
interview, where the hosts of the show
behind the origin of Uncle Grandpa was The Paradox on Friday nights. One of

congratulated him and told him he’d
the DJ’s noticed him and encouraged

won a $2,500 gift certificate to Barnes
him to enter a competition called “King
& Noble.
of the Chamber”. “I was defi nitely older
than all the others but I wasn’t gonna There’s no stopping him now! Since
let that stop me!”, said Reese. “I felt like the Live with Kelly and Ryan show,
I needed to let everyone know not to Wayne has appeared on WBOC News,
sleep on me just because I was much Delmarva Life, Fox 45, WJZ TV, and
older than the majority of the danc- 97.5. This May, Reese will gradu-
Trophies • Plaques ers”, he added. He ended up coming ate from Salisbury University with
Acrylics • Medallions in second place in that competition, a master’s degree in social work. He
earning him the title “Prince of the hopes to combine his love of entertain-
Call us about your Chamber” and a spot in the King of ing and bringing joy to others with his
project or event
Baltimore Dance Competition. Reese skills as a social worker and helping
Recognize Excellence competed in four KOB competitions others to succeed in life and feel better
Reward Achievement and it was at his fourth one in 2014 that about themselves. You can fi nd him on
Uncle Grandpa hit the stage for the fi rst Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube
5 to7 day turn around time
All work done on premises time. “Not only did I send a powerful and Twitter – and you might even spot
message that night of the competition, him breaking out into dance right here
but I gave birth to something I had no in Caroline County. Just look for the
Engraving983@aol.com
410-479-8330 idea how EPIC it would become thanks gray beard, the cane, and the energy
Fax: 410-479-8442 to social media”, he added. that won’t quit!
Hours: 10-5 Mon. - Fri. Uncle Grandpa made his debut in 2014
Engraversedge.com and hasn’t looked back. He now has
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