Zombies unite in local event

Hoosiers cannot resist the evil of the thriller.

On Saturday at 3 p.m., about 80 people from the Bloomington area will transform into zombies and gather at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater for the annual Thrill the World event.

Created by Ines Markeljevic in 2006, Thrill the World allows people from all over the world to be “together” for a simultaneous performance of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” dance. Though not physically together, the event occurs at the same time worldwide.

Bloomington residents have participated in the event since 2009 when University Division adviser and Thrill the World Bloomington organizer, Alice Dobie-Galuska, helped start the local edition in honor and remembrance of Michael Jackson.

“The year he died, I felt, like many people, that I wanted to do something,” Dobie-
Galuska said. “Plus, I was in high school when that song came out, so it was a big deal. I’m a big fan of his.”

Each event raises money for a local non-profit organization of the local event organizer’s choice. This year, all money raised from the event will benefit The Cardinal Stage Company.

Most of the event’s recruitment takes place via social networking sites. Participant Meaghan Herstad said she stumbled upon Thrill the World unintentionally.

“The summer before the 2009 event, I was just surfing the Web and found a photo slideshow of flash mobs, and Thrill the World was in there,” Herstad said. “I looked into it a little more and found the event in Bloomington and joined right away.”

For dance instruction, Dobie-Galuska said Panache Dance studio has always offered practice space and assistance. However, she said securing a venue has proved more difficult than getting the steps down.

This year the event will take place at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.

“The fact that we have the theater has appealed to people,” she said. “They’re doing it because they want to perform on that stage.”

Herstad said due to the speed of the dance, it is usually taught at a slower pace and builds from there. She said she attributes her own success in learning the dance to practice.

“I’ve gone to the group practices, and I’ve pushed the furniture aside and practiced in my living room,” she said.

While dressing up like a zombie and performing one of the most beloved dances in history has its perks, Dobie-Galuska said what she really loves about Thrill the World is having people come together to participate in something important and fun.

“There’s this community of people that learn ‘Thriller’ now, many of whom aren’t dancers or maybe never danced before,” she said. “They really love the song, they really love the video, they’re big fans of Michael Jackson and they wanted to be a part of this.”

Dobie-Galuska said she also gets a kick out of the connection to the King of Pop.

“Nobody dances like Michael Jackson,” she said. “His dancing is very inspiring to people. Even to dance kind of like him is thrilling.”