Michael Jackson Dancers about to Create Worldwide Theatre Thriller
Three seconds after the synthesized horns played, everyone knew what to do: snap their fingers and walk like zombies.
Moments later, the song, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” stopped playing and the group of more than 40 children and adults burst into laughter as a young girl belted out the next line: “And you’re paralyzed!”
The dancing novices and experts were learning Michael Jackson’s 25-year-old “Thriller” dance with as much enthusiasm as if the video had just been released. They were united by a common goal: to learn the zombie steps in order to participate in a worldwide dancing of the routine. Michael Jackson music videos have a mythology of their own and the dancing moves have become world-renowed.
The free Friday night class was the first offered at Joe’s Movement Emporium in Mount Rainier to prepare hopeful participants of “Thrill the World,” a worldwide simultaneous dancing of Jackson’s iconic dance that is slated for Oct. 24.
“It’s amazing when people can all come together and do an activity simultaneously, whether it’s praying or dancing or protesting,” said Brooke Kidd, the executive director of Joe’s Movement Emporium. “We really thought it would be 10 or 15 of us. It’s delightful to see so many folks involved.”
The worldwide dance of “Thriller” began in 2006. This year participants are hoping to break the world record for the largest simultaneous dance. That honor is held by the 197,569 elementary school students from Canada who simultaneously danced “The Hokey-Pokey” in April 2002, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
Those who wish to participate in the upcoming record-breaking attempt of “Thriller” can register their local events with Thrill the World, which is working with Guinness to ensure guidelines for the record are met. The goal is to have at least 270,000 people participate in this year’s dance, which will take place at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
