Commemorating 375 Years, in a Flash

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

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