The dead did a lot more than walking in Knoxville during 2018’s Thrill the World event.
Thrill the World is an international mob dance to Michael Jackson’s hit “Thriller.” For six minutes across the United States, Canada, Latin America and Europe, the dance is performed in unison across the world.
The global community project aims to inspire people to break down barriers, connect with people of all walks of life and contribute to helping humanity through partnering with charities. Knoxville’s chapter of Thrill the World selected Second Harvest Food Bank this year by asking dance members and viewers to donate money and non-perishable food items.
“(Thrill the World) is awesome because outside of this choreography I have two left feet, but I get to be a zombie and dress however I want, and if I forget the steps, I can just shamble back into it,” Thrill the World Knoxville event manager Lacey Johnston said. “It’s pretty neat to see everyone come together. Every team across the world dances for a different charity, but regardless, it’s so cool to see that level of participation and see everyone come together for a good cause.”
Johnston has been a part of Knoxville’s Thrill the World group since the beginning in 2009 when she learned the choreography online to attempt to break a world record when she found the group was part of a larger global event. So after a month of learning the dance, Johnston held Knoxville’s first event on UT’s Ped Walkway.
According to Thrill the World founder and creator Ines Markeljevic, “Thrill the World is, has been and forever shall be a tribute to Michael Jackson. He sang of healing the world, and one of the ways in which I see to do that is to unite the world. The manner in which I show that is by uniting us all in dance for six same exact minutes every year. So whoever you are, wherever you are, we move as one and crawl on the ground all over the world.”
The synchronized event occurs every year on the Saturday before Halloween at 10 p.m. GMT, which is 6 p.m. EST. This year the dance was in conjunction with the Knoxville Zombie Walk, where a few dozen people donned zombie makeup, props and costumes around Market Square. The walk also benefits a charity each year. Last year it benefited Young-William’s Animal Shelter, and this year it will benefit Second Harvest Food Bank.
“Since we perform in conjunction with the walk, a lot of us with Thrill the World dress up as zombies, but it’s not required for anyone who wishes to participate,” Robbie McMurry, Thrill the World Knoxville event coordinator, said. “We had approximately 35 people join us in Knoxville this year, but ultimately the event is really just fun no matter who you are or how old you are. I have three kids; my oldest is 13 and my youngest is 6, and they also love to join in on the dance each year.”
For people wanting to know more about Thrill the World, learn the dance or start groups in their area, more information can be found at Thrilltheworld.com.
