Good Morning Lee’s Summit

Lee’s Summit will step onto the nation’s center stage this week when it hosts a live segment of ABC’s “Good Morning America.”Correspondent Mike Barz will join a crowd of residents and visitors at Steppin’ Out Arts Academy, a dance studio at 705 N. Main St., from 6 to 9 a.m. Friday to announce a segment of the show’s humorous “Who In The World is Mike Barz?” series. In the segment, to be taped Thursday, Barz and his 3-year-old daughter will be taught to tap dance by studio owner Phyllis Demoret and a collection of nearly 100 fathers and daughters.Steppin’ Out has a program that teaches dads how to tap dance with their daughters and as a troupe. As showtime moves closer, Demoret and studio patrons have begun to make preparations for the show’s arrival.

“This seems too good to be true,” she said. “We’re just wanting this to be a huge Lee’s Summit event. We’re excited.”

The show dispatched Barz to the city after receiving an e-mail about three weeks ago from Jennell Brandon, whose three children are enrolled at the studio. When she received a call from the show’s producers, she was in disbelief.

“I was cooking dinner when I got a call from the producer,” Brandon said. “It was very weird. When the producer called, I thought someone was playing a joke on me.”

Shortly thereafter, Brandon sent the show a packet of information about the studio. and the event was set.

Steppin’ Out, in its 18th year of operation, has planned a big welcome for “Good Morning America.”

Studio patrons plan to serve the crew a barbecue dinner; dessert will be donated by local cafe Honkerbean’s Coffee & Gelato On Friday morning, Honkerbean’s will provide coffee while Neighbor’s Cafe in downtown Lee’s Summit will donate its trademark cinnamon rolls.

Those who wish to participate in the live taping should arrive at the studio around 5 a.m. Friday.

About 50 dads and 60 daughters will participate in the demonstration Thursday. The studio members will be dressed in black shirts and blue jeans or skirts while Barz’s daughter will wear a colored shirt.

Steppin’ Out studio has nearly 900 students at its downtown Lee’s Summit studio. It teaches competitive dance classes, and has a preschool and summer programs. In addition to the studio, a dancewear shop and cafe are available.