Alfonso Ribeiro Kind of Blew Our Minds on "DWTS" Last Night

Aren’t totally-out-of-left-field surprises just the best? Look: When I first heard that Alfonso Ribeiro would be a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars” this season, my reaction was…puzzled bemusement. Carlton from “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”? I mean, the Carlton dance is great and all, but…what?

Aaaaaaaaand then last night happened. I don’t care if you’re a hardcore “DWTS” fan or if you never watch the show: You need to see Ribeiro’s performance. It. Is. Fantastic. And I don’t mean fantastic for “DWTS”—I mean fantastic, period.

Let’s make it clear here that a lot of credit is due to Ribeiro’s pro partner Witney Carson, who a) is a gorgeous dancer herself and b) created a routine that showcases Ribeiro at his very best. But goodness gracious, there’s a lot of natural dance talent there!

And he knows it.

After a little Googling, this all makes sense: Back in 1983, Ribeiro had a leading role in The Tap Dance Kid on Broadway. (His understudy? Baby Savion Glover, who later took over the show’s title role.) The following year, Ribeiro appeared as a dancer in one of Michael Jackson’s Pepsi commercials (which you need to go watch right now). He even has a dance instruction book. Who knew??

Enjoy—and keep an eye on this dynamic “DWTS” duo!