As Flash Mob New Orleans marks 15 years, the group is back with its 15th annual Thriller Halloween Workshop, teaching Michael Jackson's iconic choreography to anyone willing to show up and learn the moves. The series runs Saturdays from Sept. 5 through Oct. 31, 2026, with classes held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at 1128 Dublin St. in New Orleans.
According to Flash Mob New Orleans, the workshop welcomes dancers of all ages and experience levels, with no prior training required to learn the iconic Thriller steps. The series costs $100, while drop-in classes run $20 apiece, and the organization notes that classes will also be available to stream online for those who cannot attend in person, according to OffBeat.
The organization behind the annual tradition was founded and is directed by Kenneth “Kynt” Bryan, described by Flash Mob New Orleans as an internationally recognized choreographer, recording artist, actor, educator and creative director. Beyond the Thriller workshops, the group says it provides professional choreography and live event production for corporate events, festivals, weddings and private celebrations, as well as choreography and movement direction for film and television. Flash Mob New Orleans also offers youth dance workshops, school programs and free community performances, with programming the organization describes as inclusive of seniors, veterans, disabled individuals and hearing-impaired participants.
From Sidewalk Pop-Up to Citywide Tradition
What began as a grassroots dance initiative has, according to Flash Mob New Orleans, quickly evolved into a citywide cultural movement, uniting students, families and performers across the city in free rehearsals and large-scale public flash mob performances. The tradition's roots trace back further still: a 2016 account from NOLA.com reported that Bryan began teaching hip-hop workshops in 2009 and started classes that culminated in flash mobs by 2012.
A 2016 account from NOLA.com described that year's show as Bryan’s fifth annual event. A separate 2016 account from Tulane University News noted the group numbered 30 to 40 performers that year, though it had attracted as many as 60 costumed dancers in years past.
Over the 14 years preceding this one, Flash Mob New Orleans partnered with FitNOLA, NORDC and local schools to provide free dance classes and outreach programs across the city, OffBeat reported in coverage of last year's event. Pricing for the workshops has shifted over time as well: an earlier series charged $90 for the full run and $15 per individual class, compared with this year's $100 series price and $20 drop-in rate, according to an earlier OffBeat report.
A Halloween Fixture Returns to City Hall
Last Halloween, Flash Mob New Orleans announced its 14th annual Thriller Halloween Spectacular for Oct. 31, 2025, at 1 p.m. on the steps of New Orleans City Hall, describing it as a free, public celebration of dance, music and community spirit, OffBeat reported at the time. That event followed years of institutional growth, with participation expanding across schools, dance organizations and city partners, including students from The Willow School, Spotlight Dance NOLA and Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary Charter School, per OffBeat's account of the 2025 gathering.
This year's Thriller dance workshop continues that legacy at Anne Burr Dance Studio on Dublin Street, with the organization framing the series as both an artistic tradition and a community gathering point ahead of Halloween. Whether beginners or seasoned dancers, participants spend their Saturday afternoons working through the zombie shuffle and signature arm movements that have made Thriller an iconic local Halloween tradition.
