After videos of his performances proved ineffective, a man who claimed to be transgender and had been trained at the best dance academy in the world goes viral.

Sophia Rebecca, a man referred to only as Sophia, was the first transgender dancer to be accepted into The Royal Academy of Dance. This London-based organization is well-known for its classically trained ballerinas. Rebecca, who was in his thirties, was older than many of his fellow ballerinas due to the physical demands ballet places on women’s bodies.

Rebecca became a viral sensation on social media earlier this week after several outlets shared a video showing him dancing. However, few people applauded his performance.

Twitter is ablaze with discussion over a male dancer who was admitted to the prestigious Royal Academy of Dance.

Sophia Rebecca, a former IT technician, was accepted into the Academy in 2017 as their first transgender dancer. pic.twitter.com/sfDPs9VheO

— REDUXX (@ReduxxMag) April 10, 2023

“I don’t know why I should laugh, but it’s funny!” One user replied.

Another shared a funny photo of an elephant wearing a tutu.

Another user @LunarLemonade uploaded a video showing herself doing the same dance with Rebecca. Although it might seem like Rebecca is being unfairly compared, this video does not prove to be true.

FYI I started the music at the exact same time, his timing is just that off. pic.twitter.com/5NjRxcbYd8

— Lemón (@LunarLemonade) April 11, 2023

Rebecca said that he was always fascinated by dancers and “mesmerized” by their costumes, but inner turmoil and transphobia initially stopped him from following his dream of becoming an actor. Instead, he drove race cars to study for his IT certification in North Yorkshire, U.K.

Rebecca said that she was certain she would have been a better dancer today if she had been able “to continue back then,” but it doesn’t really matter now. It is impossible to change this. “I am happy where I am right now, and I will continue to work hard to be the best dancer that I can be.”

He passed the RAD intermediate ballet foundation exam in 2017 with merit. This was when he began to get national attention not only for his dancing but also for his role as “a groundbreaker”. He was 40 when Rebecca saw him featured in British Vogue’s “Forces For Change”.

Rebecca’s “transgender dancer influence” was even global. He traveled to Missoula (Montana) for Ballet Beyond Borders in 2020, just before the COVID lockdowns. Rebecca is easily spotted on stage among the group of dancers. He is the only ballerina to wear a bust-enhancing costume. Additionally, he awkwardly towers above the rest of the ballerinas who dance around him on their toes with grace and poise. However, he can often be seen standing stiff and flat-footed.

Rebecca seems unaffected by criticisms about his talent. He once said to RAD that he was constantly confronted with stereotypes. People have this image of a ballet body when they hear the word. People believe there is a ballet body, or that it’s feminine and delicate. It can be strong and powerful.

He hopes one day, “transgender” dancers will be called “transgender dancers.”

He said, “I would rather my dancing speak for me more than my identity as a trans woman.”