Roughly 80 dancers gathered at Riley Park in Downtown Farmington to rehearse Michael Jackson's “Thriller,” preparing to join a worldwide flash mob of zombies, ghouls and creatures of the night set to move in unison at 6 p.m. Saturday, October 24. The group was scheduled to assemble at the park at 5:30 p.m. to warm up before striking their undead poses with dance groups across the globe at the stroke of 6.
The Farmington performance is part of Thrill The World, the global phenomenon that, according to Downtown Farmington, asked local dancers to gather at Riley Park in time to perform the routine “at exactly 6:00 pm with other groups around the world.” As The Detroit News reported, the Farmington group was set to perform the classic dance as part of a global Thrill The World event, with the group's roughly 80 dancers spanning a wide range of ages and skill levels.
Organizer Sarah Davies led dancers through their routine during a practice session at Riley Park on Wednesday, October 21, with photographer Lon Horwedel, special to The Detroit News, capturing the rehearsal. Among those working through the choreography was 9-year-old Oliver Hayes, who joined the practice alongside his mother, Alexandra Ellard, and their dog, Turtle. Riley Park itself carries a personal history for the community — it's named after Kimberly Riley's father.
No Experience Required, Just Enthusiasm
The event's organizers made clear that nobody needed prior dance training to take part. Downtown Farmington's event page put it plainly: “Whether you're a seasoned dancer or have two left (undead) feet, everyone is welcome!” That open-door spirit matches the mission of Thrill The World at large, which, per lite987.com, was “created to bring people together through music and dance, regardless of age, background, or dancing experience.”
To help newcomers catch up, free dance workshops were offered at Riley Park ahead of the big night. Those who couldn't make it in person were pointed to thrilltheworld.com/choreography to learn the moves online.
Part of a Worldwide Zombie Tradition
Farmington's rehearsal is one small piece of a much larger global event. Thrill The World began in 2006 when Toronto dance instructor Ines Markeljevic organized a gathering of just 62 dancers, according to seattlemag.com. By 2009, that number had swelled to more than 22,000 dancers worldwide, with participating groups raising over $100,000 for more than 80 charities, the outlet noted.
This year's event drew 71 registered locations across eight countries, per the same report. In Seattle, dancers were scheduled to perform at 3 p.m. at Woodin Creek Village in Woodinville, continuing a tradition the city has taken part in since 2007. Meanwhile, a Thrill The World gathering at Double M's Haunted Hayride in Ballston Spa, New York, planned practices and performances from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, with its own dance-off wrapping up by 6:15. The Thrill The World organization notes that its dancers perform a modified version of the original choreography.
Back at Riley Park, the scene captured during rehearsal reflected the event's all-ages, come-as-you-are ethos — kids, parents, even a dog in tow, all working through zombie shuffles together ahead of their moment to perform alongside thousands of fellow Thrillers around the planet.
