Angela Howard participated in her first flash mob in Chicago with Oprah Winfrey and the Black Eyed Peas.
When she moved to Gainesville, she hoped to find her own dance flash mob in which to participate. When she did not find one, she started her own on Meetup.com called the Gainesville Flash Mob.
“I thought I probably only loved dance, but within two weeks, we had 50 people,” Howard said.
Her group was not limited to Gainesville residents, and Howard was surprised to find that soon the Gainesville Flash Mob attracted people from all over Northern Virginia, even some people who were just visiting the area.
Participants told her it was the only flash mob group to be found in the suburbs of Northern Virginia.
“We’ve seen them on the Washington Mall, but nothing out this far,” they would tell Howard.
While many of her participants have a love of dance, performance and spontaneity, the group also serves to unite people.
“I don’t know a soul except for the people at work,” many of the Northern Virginians who joined the group told her.
But while people had their own reasons for joining the Flash Mob, it took on a life of its own.
When Gainesville Flash Mob performed its very first flash mob at the Manassas Mall, bystanders naturally started to videotape them on their smart phones and hand-held devices.
“The next day our video was all over the Internet,” Howard said.
This helped generate new interest in the Gainesville Flash Mob as well as solidify the commitment of existing members. The other thing about the group that surprised Howard was how many people wanted to be a part of it even if they had limited dance experience.
“We have people with dance and non-dance experience.We split up the routine so it kind of builds and progresses,” Howard said.
As for herself, Howard has a strong background in dance, formerly performing in Broadway musicals such as “West Side Story” before beginning her “adult” career as she sometimes calls it.
Nevertheless, she has not allowed her new life to deter her from her passion for dance, and now she encourages others to pursue that passion, while also making dancing accessable for a wide variety of participants.
As for where the Gainesville Flash Mob can perform, Howard said there is never a shortage of opportunities.
One of the places where they regularly like to perform is at the Haymarket Festivals. Other times, they show up to festivals unannounced, as long as they know there will be a police presence and they will not be causing a public disruption.
Companies, organizations and individuals also contact Gainesville Flash Mob about planning a dance for a specific event or to send a promotional message. They have performed for birthdays, engagements and to promote local businesses.
While some flash dance mobs charge for those services, Howard said her group enjoys doing it just for fun. And, they can learn several different dances, practices for multiple events during one of their practices.
Meanwhile, they are always improving and seeking new opportunities. Going forward, Howard is looking for more opportunities for her flash mob. She would love to try something unique, like busting out in dance after a high school football game or joining along with a dance team.
She also has the growing numbers to hold bigger and better dance numbers. With a group of 82 members, it is big enough to ensure there will always be a big enough group to pull off a routine.
Those who want to participate in the Gainesville Flash Mob or request a dance can visit their Meet-up page.
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