"Flash mob" preps for Harvard 375th anniversary dance

The Harvard 375th “flash mob” danced to James Brown as they rehearsed for the Friday night gala.

Dancers rehearse for performance as part of a "flash mob" in the University's 375th anniversary celebration on October 14.

From an undergraduate sporting red hip-hop-style sneakers to an administrator in a white dress shirt and tie, the Harvard 375th anniversary “flash mob” of dancers got down to James Brown’s “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” today at noon outside the Science Center as they rehearsed for their big moment in the spotlight this Friday evening. The “Flash Mob” is sure to be one of the highlights of an evening filled with performances, desserts, and dancing for a crowd of thousands of revelers. 

Led by the quick-footed Henry “Kidspin” Kasdon, a teacher at the Harvard Dance Center, about 30 members of the Harvard community learned roughly two minutes of choreography that they will perform in front of their colleagues and peers in the middle of Harvard Yard at the 375th birthday gala. “I’m in a dance crew and we do some pretty sophisticated choreography,” said Kasdon, who created the flash-mob dance along with dance program director Jill Johnson about a month ago. “Then I teach classes and I try to make [things] a little easier. But with a flash mob that has to prep a dance in a short amount of time, I basically think, ‘I have to come up with something my mom would be able to do.’ " He said the volunteer dancers “all looked so great today, even the little walk they did. It looked so cool.”

Teach yourself the “flash mob” 375 dance with this YouTube instruction video

You might also like

Harvard Divinity School Sets New Priorities

After two years of turmoil, Dean Marla Frederick describes a more pluralistic future for the institution’s culture and curriculum.

From Jellyfish to Digital Hearts

How Harvard researchers are helping to build a virtual model of the human heart

Yale Chief Will Lead Harvard Police Department

Anthony Campbell will take up his new post in January.

Most popular

What Trump Means for John Roberts’s Legacy

Executive power is on the docket at the Supreme Court.

See Their Faces

Confronting “some of the most challenging images in the history of photography”

Harvard Football: Harvard 45, Penn 43

An epic finish ensures another Ivy title. Next up: Yale. And after?

Explore More From Current Issue

Three book covers displayed on a light background, featuring titles and authors.

Must-Read Harvard Books Winter 2025

From aphorisms to art heists to democracy’s necessary conditions 

Aisha Muharrar with shoulder-length hair, wearing a green blazer and white shirt.

Parks and Rec Comedy Writer Aisha Muharrar Gets Serious about Grief

With Loved One, the Harvard grad and Lampoon veteran makes her debut as a novelist.