LOS ANGELES - Elegant, sophisticated, and on the beat are the not the typical words or phrases used to describe fifth-graders. 

But the 220 youngsters who descended onto L.A. Live's Xbox Plaza last Thursday are not ordinary kids, they're Conga Kids. 

"Tonight, we have 15 schools. We narrowed it down from 97," said Daniel Ponickly, the Artistic Director of the Conga Kids nonprofit. "Fifteen of the top schools are here battling it out for dance supremacy."

The kids were on hand as part of the 2019 Conga Kids Championship. Many had spent months in the classroom preparing for this moment. 

For the kids at Eastman Avenue Elementary, the day began early on — prepping for the big show after school. 

"We’re having a little bit of confidence," said Mayte Avila, a fifth-grader in the program. "A lot [of confidence] because we’ve been practicing and all of our effort will lead to something good because we did our best effort.”

"Since we’re performers, it’s not a fake smile," fellow fifth-grader, Sebastian Diaz said of dancing. "Like a real smile goes into you.”

The 14 students took part in the classroom-based learning program for the past 10 weeks. The initiative focuses on teaching them life skills through dancing. 

“We teach them how to walk into a room with their heads held high, confidence. We teach them how to shake hands and how to get over it quickly," Ponickly explained. 

They also learn a wide range of dances, including the fox trot, merengue, salsa, tango, and swing. 

And then, in what might be the coolest field trip ever, they get to perform in front of a live audience. 

The hope is that through dance, the kids walk out more confident — improving their skills both inside and out of the classroom. And Conga Kids' message has hit home for many of the students. 

“Winning is not everything," said Mayte. "But working as a team is what we really want to do in Conga Kids.”