THE King of Pop has passed on, but that won't stop some New Yorkers from celebrating Michael Jackson's upcoming birthday in a big way. On Saturday, what would've been his big 5-1, a flash mob will see hundreds of fans suddenly break into dance in locations across the city.
Organizer and ex-dancer Dinna Alexanyan says she was looking for a way to honor the late pop star. "He had such a huge impact on the dance community and on me personally. I remember as a kid replicating the choreography from all the videos off 'Thriller.' "
The goal of the flash mob is twofold: to commemorate MJ's legacy and to garner attention for Alexanyan's nonprofit, Sybarite Productions, which produces local dance workshops and showcases. She admits she didn't even know what a flash mob was until recently, when she saw one on TV.
Alexanyan has been teaching the dance at training sessions over the past several weekends, but anyone interested in joining can watch an instructional clip at sybariteproductions.net and practice at home.
"It started out as something in the dance community, but we're opening it up," she says. While she's keeping a tight lid on where the performances will pop up and what they'll entail, Alexanyan reveals the dance will "incorporate signature Michael Jackson moves and a well-known song."
>The Examiner.com on ArteRotica<
Thursday night, Sybarite Productions,Colors Consulting Group, and Trace Magazine brought sexy back to Madame X. The bordello-themed bar once again hosted ArteRotica, a playful exploration of sexuality, art and performance. Curated by Alaric Campbell, the show features sensual art on the walls and on the stage.
The event brought in a diverse and interesting audience spanning age groups and styles. Bohemian rubbed elbows with goth as all appreciated the works on display.
Brown Girls Burlesque provided the entertainment, beginning with a striptease by Chicava Honeychild, above. And DJ Rimarkable and Jennifly set the mood with chillout vibes to soothe the crowd.
Thursday's gathering is to be the first of a monthly series to be hosted at Madame X.
>THE NEW POP...
Life @_arterotica from trevz on Vimeo.
Flash! They’re Dancing
By C. Zawadi Morris
Flash mobbers descended on the Atlantic Mall on Saturday.
No, it’s not a band of thieves who expose themselves. Flash mobs are a group of 10 to 300 people who gather in a crowded, public place and suddenly start dancing, usually a coordinated routine, to music. Then, finished with the routine, they immediately leave the scene, as if nothing ever happened. The entire episode usually lasts no more than five minutes.
This phenomenon first took off in the United States in 2003. It has since been made popular by YouTube and is performed in major metropolises all over the world.
On Saturday, a flash mob of approximately 30 dancers made a surprise appearance outside of the Atlantic Mall in Fort Greene at 5:30 p.m., dancing to Michael Jackson’s “Remember The Time,” in honor of the King of Pop’s birthday.
“We’re doing this for Michael,” said Dinna Alexanyan Dina Alexander, a Clinton Hill resident who was the group’s organizer.
“Michael was a humanitarian, he inspired people, made them feel good, and we wanted to honor his legacy,” Ms. Alexanyan said.
The dancers also hit World Wide Plaza, Columbus Circle and Penn Station earlier that day.
Another flash mob episode took place the same day at 1 p.m. in London’s Trafalgar Square in honor of Jackson, where the public joined in, swelling the dance party ranks to close to 1,000 people.
chichi212.com/2008/06/03/art-with-no-aide/
