Whether he's in his East Ridge police uniform or at home with his mother, Lafaye, or brothers Jalen, his twin, or Jakobi, or just by himself, Jonah Goddard can't control himself if he hears a familiar song or beat.
"I just start dancing," he said in a telephone interview last week.
"If I hear a song I like, I'm going to start dancing. I'm not scared to be looked at."
Goddard has become known around East Ridge for his dancing, in part thanks to an appearance in December on "The Kelly Clarkson Show." People will get another shot to see him and his moves Tuesday at 10 p.m. when he competes on "Dancing With Myself" on NBC.
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The show pits 10 contestants competing dance-off style, and as each round of the competition progresses, celebrities Shakira, Nick Jonas and Liza Koshey provide feedback and encouragement. The studio audience decides who is named best dancer of the night and gets to take home a cash prize.
Goddard, 27, said he traveled to Atlanta in March for the taping. Studio rules prevent him from disclosing too many details about how he did or how far he advanced, but Goddard said he had a great time doing it and remains friends with many of his fellow contestants.
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Goddard said he has always loved to dance and credits his mother for showing him it's OK to have fun, no matter what others might think. He drew the attention of producers for Clarkson's show after he posted videos of himself dancing on Tik-Tok.
"I've been dancing since I was little in the living room with my brother, or more specifically, my mom," he said. "Whenever Rihanna or Jay-Z would come on TV or the radio, we'd just start dancing. We'd have dance battles. I got my moves from her."
He said his dad, Jonathan, is the more subdued of the bunch and usually just plays the audience, "but we are that family that we are out together, we show up and all eyes are on us."
Goddard joined the East Ridge police force about 18 months ago after a couples of years on the force at UTC. His dad teaches and coaches at East Ridge High School, so he said he knew the community before going to work there. Being known as the "dancing guy" by his colleagues and residents has proven to be a good thing.
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"Once people get to know me and that I'm just an outgoing guy, it becomes a point of interest. And, I think it's good for people to see that police officers are human beings."
Goddard said the TV experiences have been some of the best of his life because of the people he has met doing them.
"Being on 'The Kelly Clarkson Show' was also the first time in my life I've worn makeup. That was interesting."
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354. Follow him on Twitter @BarryJC.