Driscoll Green transformed into an “improvised” dance club this afternoon as a large group of dancers performed an intricately choreographed routine as part of the annual May Days celebration. The flash mob dance was inspired by a dance at Ohio State University that became an instant YouTube sensation two weeks ago.
Shelby Flora, a senior international business major and co-president of the DU Programs Board, learned about the Ohio State dance from Carl Johnson, director of student programming.
“I then got the crazy idea that this would be a great thing to try and pull off during May Days,” said Flora. “I immediately began e-mailing the dancers and cheerleaders that I knew along with anyone else I thought would be interested. Surprisingly, there was a strong response of people actually wanting to participate.”
The group decided to dance to a four-minute 50-second mash-up of Lady Gaga’s “Telephone,” Beyonce’s “Single Ladies,” Usher’s “Yeah,” Soulja Boy’s “Crank That,” the Backstreet Boys’ “The Call,” Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” Rednex’s “Cotton Eyed Joe,” and the Contours’ “Do You Love Me?”
Flora’s roommate, Ally Veneris, a former competitive dancer and the program board’s traditions chair, and Molly McMahon, a DU cheerleader, helped with the choreography. The group met several times for rehearsals.
The program board spread information about “something big happening at Sturm Hall” via word of mouth, Facebook and Twitter while keeping the details purposefully vague so that the dance would be a surprise for the crowd of hundreds who gathered for the event.
Flora and Veneris were thrilled with the turnout and the response.
“A lot of seniors did this as a way to make one last contribution to DU spirit, and there were a ton of freshman who stepped up to contribute as well,” Veneris said.
“Things like this show that we do have our own brand of school spirit,” Flora said. “It was a perfect event to add to the May Days tradition.”