Embed with the Mob
SillyWalks for Hunger
SillyWalks for Hunger is a charity event produced by Jon Lovitz Comedy Club, Mashcast and Rich & Tone Productions to help raise awareness, food and money for the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank, Feeding America and the Global FoodBanking Network. Through traditional and social media, the goal is to provide 1,000,000 meals to those in need this holiday season. To help, you can text FEED to 90999. A $5.00 charge will appear on your phone bill. The good feeling you receive by doing something to help others is yours to keep.
The Assignment
The initial contact came to me in a tweet, “How would you like to be part of a flash mob choreographed and everything? It’s for a charity event called SillyWalks for Hunger”. Stop. Say no more. You had me at flash mob. Absolutely, I am there.
For some people it’s jumping out of an airplane. Others it might be climbing Mt. Everest. For me “dancing in a flash mob” is at the top of my bucket list. I couldn’t have been anymore excited and then I got the rehearsal schedule:
Saturday, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm – Powerhouse Gym, Burbank
Sunday, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm – Powerhouse Gym, Burbank
Monday 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm – Powerhouse Gym, Burbank
Wednesday 11:00 pm – 2:00 am – Universal CityWalk
Thursday 5:00 pm -? – Universal CityWalk
Wow. Really? How much time does step/touch/repeat take to learn? My excitement was waning even before I learned the first count of eight. Then I found out that in addition to the dance I had to write about the experience. I was now embedded in the flash mob. Here is my story.
The Rehearsals
I walked into rehearsal Saturday morning and any apprehension I was feeling about the time commitment left when I saw what was happening. A hundred plus dancers were jamming to “Walk This Way” and the energy was infectious. This was definitely not a step/touch/repeat number.
I jumped in and started learning the choreography and even though my body wasn’t moving the way it did when I was in my twenties, I gave myself over to it. I was now a slave to the dance.
I met choreographers Rich and Tone right away and they were cool, funky and generous. Their passion for this project energized the room and helped me to get over myself and see the bigger picture. If they could find the time between video and commercial shoots and choreographing for the AMA’s then I could certainly put in a few hours every day for the next week to be a part of something really special.
The choreography was challenging for me. I hadn’t been in class for about twenty years. Being surrounded by dancers who do this for a living made it frustrating at times but pushed me to work even harder. I was going to own this dance no matter what.
Sunday rolled around and Rich and Tone were ready to start staging. They called me up and placed me dead center. The horror on my face could not be disguised. They built the lines of the other dancers around me and I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I was starting this dance off. No hiding in the back. I liked these guys too much to let them down. They had confidence that I could do this. Now I had to find that confidence in myself.
Once everyone had the staging we started running the number over and over and over again. The second part felt really good but I was still in my head with the first part. I had to let it go. The performer part of me kicked in and I just started doing it full out, missed steps and all. Rich was watching and smiling. It felt good but I wanted it to be great.
Dancers Get Hurt So I Guess I’m a Dancer
I woke up Monday morning with an orange-sized lump on the back of my right knee (why lump sizes are always compared to fruits and nuts I don’t know). I could walk on it but the whole knee joint was a little tight. Apparently my inner performer did not consult with my inner doctor before allowing me to fully shake my groove thing the night before.
Monday’s rehearsal was to clean up the steps. I knew I needed this so ice and ibuprofen became my new best friends. After two and a half hours of working the choreography I finally felt like I had this dance in my body. Not even my jacked up knee was going to keep me from performing on Thursday.
The Flash Mob
After a three-hour rehearsal from 11:00 pm – 2:00 am on Wednesday night, we were ready to do this thing. All the dancers (I love including myself in this category) had a 5:30 pm call on Thursday. We were separated into our groups and staged behind the walls of Universal CityWalk until just before we were ready to go on. I waited for a visual cue of the SillyWalks logo to flash on the big screen and they sauntered out to my place center stage on the plaza. The music changed and I froze with a few other dancers. The crowd milled about confused as to what was going on. Another change in the music and more dancers froze. Then it was time. The choreography was about to start. I only had one shot at this and if I messed up I couldn’t go back and do it again.
With the spotlight in my eyes and dancers all around me, my body took over. The pain in my knee was gone and the adrenaline was rushing through my body. The crowd was cheering. The music was blasting. I was dancing.
Take a Bow
The dance ended and two more songs came on. The crowd joined us on the plaza and we danced and laughed and danced some more. Afterwards I saw Rich and Tone and the joy on their faces was pure. We did it. All of us together did it.
My week with the mob was spectacular. I was challenged personally and artistically and I got to work with some of the most talented, caring and giving people in entertainment. The dancers were amazing and Rich and Tone have the rare quality of being able to lift you up to meet their vision. They are very special men.
It was an honor to be a part of such an extraordinary event. My hope is that the goal of 1,000,000 meals is not only met but also surpassed. No one should ever go hungry. What a huge difference we could make if we all just gave a little.
I just watched it on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7ygTlJTQ0o).
It looks like it was a blast!!
You have always been a dancer and always will be. More importantly, you have always been a caring, giving person. I wish I could have joined you.
Jeff, you Rocked!! You where such a trooper making all the rehearsals and going for it. It trully was a spirited uplifting experience that I will never forget. There was a lot of love in the room that was very inspiring and I am very thankful for your envolvement and positive energy. BIG FUN had by all !! most important we where all doing it for a very important cause, feeding people that REALLY need it. If you are reading this post PLEASE GO small NOW! and donate $5 dollars by texting the word FEED to 90999. For that small donation you can provide 35 meals that are desperatly needed. Please tell your friends to do it also, if we all GO small NOW we can make a HUGH differenece.. Thanks again Jeff for all your support!! you da Mannnn!!
Who knew it was the “tweet” that was heard ’round the world, eh?
Those of us who were a part of all this silliness know how so not silly it was.
Hunger is never silly and you and 200 plus real dancers (lol) came together in a very short time frame, for NO money, for NO glory, for nothing more than to give back to those in need.
The energy and love that started two weeks ago in a rehearsal space in North Hollywood, then spilled on to the streets of CityWalk on 11.19.09, will be continued in the hearts and spirits of those who danced like noone was watching.
You my friend are the exemplication of pure love and giving and thank YOU for allowing us to bask in your light.
I am truly honored and blessed to have met you …and look forward to dancing with you soon!
PS For those who have not seen Jeff’s et al’s magnificence – please log in to http://www.sillywalks4hunger.com – we are adding new material all the time and the “feature” length piece will premiere (hopefully) by New Years!