Dancing Zombies Looks to Be a Thriller

Agnes Strecker and Heather Murphy, of the Agnes Strecker Dance Studio on Beach Street, will be leading a local effort at Harry Della Russo Stadium this Halloween season to break a world record for the most people doing the ‘Thriller’ zombie dance simultaneously. The overall effort runs worldwide, and all Revere residents are invited to join the local effort.

Agnes Strecker and Heather Murphy, of the Agnes Strecker Dance Studio on Beach Street, will be leading a local effort at Harry Della Russo Stadium this Halloween season to break a world record for the most people doing the ‘Thriller’ zombie dance simultaneously. The overall effort runs worldwide, and all Revere residents are invited to join the local effort.

If ever one needed an excuse to do the ‘Thriller’ dance with hundreds of other people while dressed as a zombie, well now they have that excuse.

Agnes Strecker Dance Studio on Beach Street announced this week that they will be joining the ‘Thrill the World’ worldwide effort to break the standing world record for the number of people dancing the ‘Thriller’ dance while dressed as zombies.

The event will take place on Sat., Oct. 26th, at Harry Della Russo Stadium and as many of the public as can be fit in the Stadium are invited.

“We’re going to attempt to break the world record, which hasn’t been done since 2009, in a simultaneous effort by dancers all around the world,” said Heather Murphy, of the Beach Street studio. “We are asking everyone to dress as zombies and to take advantage of our free lessons. The dance is very easy to learn and anyone can do it.”

Murphy and Strecker said they would have free ‘Thriller’ lessons every Sunday night at the Revere studio from 6:30 to 8 p.m. to prepare participants. Lessons will start on Sept. 22.

“Heather has always wanted to do this at the studio and this year I said, ‘Let’s go for it,’” said Strecker. “It’s something to get the community excited about and it’s fun and free.”

The ‘Thriller’ dance comes from the blockbuster music video from the late Michael Jackson. The song is the title track to his album ‘Thriller.’ Within that video, legions of zombies are shown rising up in a graveyard and doing a unique and rhythmic dance to the music. The scene has become a cult classic in the popular culture surrounding Halloween, and it gave rise to the yearly world record pursuits.

Strecker said they have already met with Michael Hinojosa, Parks and Recreation director, and he has approved use of the Stadium and thrown the City’s support behind the zombie-themed dance.

Also, the schools and school athletics departments have thrown their support behind the effort as well.

The national effort is actually a fund-raiser, and Strecker and Murphy said they are asking for donations to help support that effort. They said 50 percent of all the money raised goes to Children’s Hospital and the other 50 percent to Alzheimer’s research.

They also said the dance can be customized for those with disabilities or limitations. It is open for anyone age 7 and up.

Those wishing to participate should show up at the Stadium by 7 p.m. to check in and sign waivers. At 8:30 p.m., they will have a practice and participant count.

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