TheFW » Flash Mobs

Students Perform Zombie-Themed Flashmob to Protest School Closings

Amanda Ferris — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 17:50:57 +0000

Students of the group Philadelphia Student Union, which is a part of a larger organization called the Philadelphia Coalition Advocacy of Public Schools, recently performed a zombie-themed flashmob to Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ in front of the school district’s headquarters. The students were protesting the new plan that would close 37 schools thanks to state budget cuts. They [...]

'No Pants Subway Ride' Strikes Again In the Big Apple

TheFW Staff — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 20:21:51 +0000

Sunday, January 13th, marked the 12th annual "No Pants Subway Ride," aka the day when people drop trou on the subway because...because no pants, that's why. Improv Everywhere, the pranksters behind this long-running event, organized a gathering of 4,000 participants in Brooklyn that quickly spread into Manhattan transit. In addition to major metropolitan areas like Boston and San Francisco, similar pants-less events took place all around the world in places like Mexico City and China.

Orchestral Flash Mob Plays the Theme from 'Star Wars'

Donald Deane — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 15:44:09 +0000

The WDR Symphony Orchestra adds a much-needed touch of class to flash mobs by rapidly convening in a square in Germany and serenading the assembled crowd with a piece of music. Of course, their decision to play the 'Star Wars' theme makes the whole thing border on geeky, but we're okay with that.

'Pink Flash Mob' Raises Breast Cancer Awareness Through Dancing

Emerald Catron — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 18:56:10 +0000

These guys really nailed the whole flash mob thing. Their dancing is synchronized. They didn’t use Cat Power for their soundtrack, opting instead for the survivor anthem ‘I Will Survie,’ and it’s for a good cause. OH! And there are some jazz squares tossed in there for good measure. Breast Cancer Awareness Level = Raised.

Rowdy Teen Flash Mob Destroys Florida Walmart

Donald Deane — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:57:41 +0000

Last Saturday, a “flash mob” of unruly teens descended on a Walmart in Florida and caused significant damage to the store. Hey, whatever happened to flash mobs that harmlessly sing and dance? The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office says approximately 300 teens entered the Walmart at 11:30pm and had an impromptu food fight in the produce section [...]

Brooklyn Parents Serenade Kids With End of School Year Flash Mob

Jeremy Taylor — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 20:11:40 +0000

There is nothing more exciting to a kid than the onset of summer vacation. But the youngsters at Brooklyn's PS 10 got a whole different kind of thrill during their last days of the school year when their parents showed up in the school yard last week and serenaded them with an elaborate flash mob.

Michael Jackson Flash Mob Proposal Will Make Your Day

Mithun Divakaran — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 14:07:32 +0000

Although wedding couples dancing to Michael Jackson songs are common, we haven't come across many making wedding proposals with the help of the late "King of Pop." Enter Craig Jones, who recently proposed to his girlfriend Allison using a flash mob in New York's Bryant Park to the Michael Jackson classic 'The Way You Make Me Feel.'

High School Seniors Get Funky in Graduation Flash Mob Prank

Jeremy Taylor — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 20:58:44 +0000

When one thinks of a senior prank, one conjures up images of barnyard animals and lots of clean up. But the 12th graders at Eastwood High School in El Paso, TX, managed to pull a prank during their graduation that was fun for all those involved and for the school’s administration. Watch what happens after [...]

Classical Flash Mob Surprises Subway Riders With Violins, Flutes and Horns

Jeremy Taylor — Mon, 07 May 2012 20:00:38 +0000

While flash mobs are often entertaining, they are not usually described as “classy.” But classy (or rather classiness) is exactly what went down on a Copenhagen subway train last month. Members of the Copenhagen Philharmonic popped up alongside riders for an impromptu performance, brass and woodwinds included. The train’s commuters were facing yet another dreary trip to [...]

Stylish Flash Mob Protests London Abercrombie & Fitch Store

Jeremy Taylor — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 21:40:40 +0000

Saville Row is a square in London famous for being lined with high-end clothing shops that offer bespoke tailoring. Clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch is about to open up a kid's store there, and this has upset many Londeners, who don't think there should be a store selling cargo shorts and t-shirts on the square's hollowed ground.

So they organized a flash mob, which is quickly become the mechanism of choice for protesters who want to get noticed.

'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' Star Alfonso Ribeiro Leads Epic 'Carlton Dance' Flash Mob

Jeremy Taylor — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:33:39 +0000

The other day, when discussing 'The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,' we said the sitcom's two biggest legacies were Will Smith's acting career and its catchy theme songs. In retrospect, we missed another thing the show will long be remembered for: The Carlton Dance.

The ultra dorky jig, which was performed so expertly by actor Alfonso Ribeiro, popped up this weekend during an attempt to break the record for the world's largest flash mob.

Flash Mob Spontaneously Breaks Into Awesome Pillow Fight

Donald Deane — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:54:12 +0000

We’ve all heard of flash mobs before — groups of people who spontaneously assemble in a public place to perform a seemingly pointless act. But did you know that pillow fights are also part of flash mob culture? It’s true! The largest recorded flash mob pillow fight took place on March 22, 2008, during which [...]

Senior Citizen Flash Mob Performing 'Last Christmas' Is Sweeter Than Gingerbread

Donald Deane — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:02:54 +0000

Short on holiday spirit? Then this video, which shows a senior citizen flash mob performing ‘Last Christmas’ from ‘Glee,’ will surely get you in the mood. The seniors spontaneously belt out the tune while at a Target in Kansas. One of them even does so while using a walker. Admittedly, their timing is way, way [...]

Darth Vader Uses the Force to Lead Christmas Choir Flash Mob [VIDEO]

Donald Deane — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:35:16 +0000

Darth Vader may be a bad guy, but as this video shows, he likes a Christmas choir as much as we do. Who knew the Dark Lord was such a fan of the holidays? At Algonquin College in Ontario, Canada, Vader himself uses the Force to control a Christmas choir flash mob as they belt [...]

Thousands of Costumed Santas Get Drunk During SantaCon [VIDEO]

Donald Deane — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:06:36 +0000

Over the weekend, thousands converged on New York City for SantaCon, an annual celebration where people dressed like Santa Claus get sloppy by embarking on a bar crawl. Ho-Ho-Hic! Although a drunken Santa may sound like a terrible idea, SantaCon and the bars who participate actually donate toys to the needy. Still, it’s probably a [...]

Flash Mob Strikes Dubai With Stewardess Intro [VIDEO]

Jeremy Taylor — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:59:59 +0000

Flash mobs have become a world-wide phenomenon, as is evident by this stewardess-led musical medley performance that took place in the Dubai International airport. The overwhelming urge to take pictures and videos of a flash mob with a phone unites people of all races, creeds and religions. [via Viral Viral Videos]

Man Uses Flash Mob to Propose to Girlfriend on Subway [VIDEO]

Donald Deane — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:43:42 +0000

Thanks to the internet, the days of a simple wedding proposal on bended knee seem to be rapidly disappearing. To wit: A man recently enlisted the help of a flash mob to propose to his girlfriend while riding a London Underground train. Fortunately, it was all caught on video. As the flash mob spontaneously breaks [...]

Flash Mob Singing 'Lovely Day' Make Train Proposal Truly Magical [VIDEO]

Alex Staub — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 18:57:51 +0000

A public train may not seem like the best place to purpose to your future wife, but with the help of the Adam Street Singers performing the groovy Bill Withers song, ‘Lovely Day,’ you will drastically increase your chances and securing a “yes” from your lovely lady. In true flash mob fashion, the singers disguised [...]

Forget Flash Mobs — 'Flash Robs' Are the New Trend [VIDEO]

TheFW Staff — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 15:42:18 +0000

It seems as though teens have taken the flash mob to a new and criminal level by planning events called "flash robs," during which they run screaming into a store, steal things in a frenzied mass and run out as quickly as they came in.

Light Saber Flash Mob Takes Over New York City Park [VIDEOS]

Jeremy Taylor — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:28:02 +0000

About a thousand wannabe Jedis flooded New York's Washington Square Park for the city's second annual light saber battle.

Despite what was described as "an epic Braveheart-style skirmish," nobody was injured and the only complaint by the event's participants was that there wasn't enough space in the park for the battle's epic scope.

Many battle-goers took videos of the flashy swordplay -- check out some of the footage below:

Gutsy Guy Proposes Via Dancing Flash Mob [VIDEO]

Paul Ciampanelli — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:42:53 +0000

Proposing via flash mob, as the guy in this video does, is a pretty big risk. If she says no, you’ve got to deal with humiliation on a pretty grand scale. But if she says yes, you’re a hero. Nam and Trang met on the UCLA campus. So for his grand proposal, Nam brought her [...]

Rapper Machine Gun Kelly's Flash Mob Ends in Disaster [VIDEO]

Jeremy Taylor — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 21:26:28 +0000

On Saturday, hip-hop artist Machine Gun Kelly used Twitter to tell his fans to show up in the food court of a Cleveland, Ohio mall at 5pm, dressed in disguises.

Hundreds heeded his call, and by the time Kelly and his entourage arrived, wearing their own disguises, there was a significant police and mall security presence. Moments after first addressing the crowd, Kelly was arrested when he refused an order to get down off a table.

Improv Everywhere Flash Mob Lights Up NYC With 3,500 Glowsticks and Flashlights [VIDEO]

Dylan Schenker — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 19:45:05 +0000

On July 16, New York's Rockefeller Park was lit up like a Christmas tree when over 3,500 people converged for Improv Everywhere's latest MP3 Experiment. The popular series of "missions," as IE calls its stunts, asks participants to download an MP3 file, gather in one spot, hit play at the same time and follow the audio instructions for an awesome effect.

The eighth installment in the MP3 mission series included activities with flashlights and glowsticks, giving the phrase "flash mob" an entirely new meaning. Check out video of the mission below: