The Dexter Summer Festival parade ended with a surprise that had the crowd cheering: a flash mob dance that has since gone viral.
See the video here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Q8PXVaMSw
The idea came from festival organizer Becky Cobler, who wanted to add something fun and unexpected to cap off the parade. “Dexter has several parades each year, but the summer festival is all about celebrating fun, family, and our community,” Cobler said. “I just thought a flash mob would blow people’s minds and kick the party into high gear.”
Her inspiration came from an old “Rockin’ and Bowling” cartoon of a janitor sweeping the stage after a show. She enlisted local favorite Kandie Waggoner, who followed the parade with a boombox, set it down, and began dancing awkwardly to Dancing in the Street by Martha and the Vandellas. She was soon joined by her friend Gail, who flew in from the West Coast for the event, and by dozens of others. David Moan from The Encore Theatre helped select the song and choreograph the moves. Word spread quickly, and by parade day about 20 to 30 people had practiced, but many more joined in spontaneously, from six-year-olds to uniformed police officers.
The flash mob’s energy carried well beyond Main Street. A video of the performance has racked up nearly 40,000 views, more than 100 shares, and dozens of comments on local social media.
Cobler says the festival was a team effort. “We couldn’t do this without our sponsors, volunteers, city workers, firefighters, and the kids who picked up hundreds of bags of trash,” she said. She credited the Dexter Summer Festival Committee as the group that “turns hay into gold every single time,” always looking for ways to raise the bar.
She hopes to make the flash mob a tradition and even bigger next year. “If you have ideas, email us at [email protected],” she added. “We’re already thinking about how to raise the bar.”
8123 Main St Suite 200 Dexter, MI 48130
