GLEE

Sam Horowitz sang and danced his way into YouTube fame last summer at his bar mitzvah after-party, turning a traditional religious celebration into a spontaneous musical that could have come straight out of a scene from popular teen shows “Glee” or “Smash.” Dressed in a sparkling white suit, the Parish Episcopal School eighthgrader took to the stage inside a room at the Omni Hotel and belted out Christina

Aguilera’s “Show Me How You Burlesque” along with back-up dancers courtesy of the Dallas Mavericks — all in front of giant, electric letters that spelled “Sam.” The glitzy display raised a few eyebrows in the Jewish community, as some thought it was just a little over-the-top. But those in the realm of pop culture embraced the young performer. His YouTube video a poppy and emotional montage of his journey to the bar mitzvah a la “American Idol” — went viral, and he landed spots on “Ellen” and “Good Morning America.” None of this is out of character for “the bar mitzvah boy,” who’s used to the spotlight, having appeared in shows at the Jewish Community Center and the Dallas Children’s Theater. And who knows? He might end up in a future TV hit that his life already seems to emulate. —Emily Toman