Flash mobs are taking over America’s unsuspecting public locations for commercials, movies, birthday parties and even proposals. But why? And how? Flash mobs are described as a group of people that assemble suddenly in a predetermined location to perform a choreographed dance or other random act and leave as if nothing has happened. The first flash mob organized by Bill Wasik, Senior Editor of Harper’s Magazine, was created as a social experiment designed to mock the culture of conformity. Little did Wasik know, he was creating a vehicle for conformity that would spread like wildfire amidst newly popular social media platforms.
Both Facebook and Twitter have played a significant role in the growing popularity of flash mobs across the country. In preparation for Step Up Revolution, an upcoming dance film, Summit Entertainment turned to their Twitter followers to increase excitement. Their goal was to create a virtual flash mob, asking fans to record themselves performing one of four choreographed routines and tweeting the link with the hashtag, #StepUpMob.
According to an article in Mashable, more than 300 dancers from 25 countries participated in the virtual flash mob, which is a true testament to the unification power of social media. The studio released the compilation on Monday in anticipation for the movie’s release this Friday, July 27.
On the other side of the spectrum, Flash Mob America (FMA), an organization that coordinates flash mobs across the country, not only uses email and social media for promotional purposes, but also as a communication tool. With such a widespread audience, FMA can utilize social media to notify their participants of upcoming events or changes in schedule at the drop of a hat without expending significant time. On top of that, the coordinators can post tutorial videos of upcoming dances for flash mobbers in the area, or viral videos of past performances.
Social media outlets have spurred the communication process, alleviating the enormous effort it takes to coordinate a large-scale event like a flash mob. These platforms also allow for flexibility, which further embraces the intrinsic element of surprise in each performance. Without the help of the instantaneous updates that America craves, both live and viral flash mobs as we know them might cease to exist.
