Zombie flash mob brings Thriller to the streets this Halloween

Becky Johnson, The Mountaineer, Waynesville, N.C.
·3 min read

Oct. 21—For most people, it's a trip to Alaska or sky diving. But for Jill Province, her lone bucket list dream was staging a flash mob of zombies dancing to "Thriller."

When she moved to Haywood County several years ago, she decided it was now or never, and began recruiting fellow zombies willing to put their modesty aside, step in front of a crowd of strangers and recreate the iconic Michael Jackson scene.

From 2015 to 2019, the zombie flash mob was a signature of local Halloween festivities. Now, after a two-year hiatus, Waynesville's Walking Dead are rising from their slumber to resurrect the Thriller flash mob.

For bystanders who witness the phenomenon, it's unforgettable. The hypnotic opening riff of Thriller begins pulsing from a loudspeaker, and suddenly, a mob of zombies emerge on the street, dancing in unison.

"During a time when everyone is so fragmented, for just a moment in time, we are in harmony," Province said. "This was a bucket list thing that I really wanted to try to accomplish, and Haywood County just embraced it."

The first time Sharon Gerard experienced the magic of the "Thriller" flash mob, she had no idea what was unfolding before her.

"I thought it was a bunch of random people who happened to be really good dancers. I had no idea it was a flash mob," said Gerard, who joined in and started dancing also.

Luckily for Gerard, she discovered the flash mob was a grassroots, come-all affair that anyone could join. The group soon expanded its repertoire beyond "Thriller" at Halloween and began staging other numbers throughout the year — suddenly breaking out in dance to "Uptown Funk" or "Footloose" at downtown Waynesville Block Parties.

The flash mob even inspired Gerard, a second-home owner, to move to Haywood County fulltime.

"I enjoyed being part of it so much, it spurred the decision. The people dancing are happy, the people watching are happy, and it's just fun," she said.

Where to catch the zombie action

After a two-year COVID hiatus, the flash mob is back, staging two "Thriller" performances this Halloween — one at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, at Cabbage Rose in Maggie Valley in conjunction with a trunk-or-treat event, and one at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31, on Main Street in Waynesville in conjunction with Treats on the Street.

Anyone can be part of the flash mob, and you don't have to be a good dancer. The Thriller moves have been modified into a simpler version anyone can pick up.

Two rehearsals to practice the routine will be held from 2-4 p.m. Oct. 23 and 24 at the Nancy Weldon open air gym at Lake Junaluska.

"It's almost like an open house," Gerard said of the format.

If you can't make it, a video tutorial of the dance is on YouTube at youtu.be/gtD_yuj8gVI.

Meanwhile, throwing together zombie attire happens to be one of the easiest Halloween costumes out there.

"It you're a zombie there's no dress code," Province said. "I went to a thrift store and got a giant oversized t-shirt and cut some jagged holes in it."

For more information, contact Gerard at 704-914-6042.