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"This will be our reply to violence: to make music [dance] more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before." Leonard Bernstein
This year's Thriller experience (part of a worldwide event called "Thrill the World") was a magical six-week adventure - a chance to share the joy of being alive while raising funds for people in need. The practices and flashmobs were full of camaraderie and spontaneous fun! In a nutshell:
6 Weeks of Practice & Performance
10 Days of Flashmobs
28 Individual Flashmobs
95 Sunken Garden Dancers
120 Participants
$26,000 RAISED!
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The funds raised, through Event Sponsors and participants, will go to our Nicole Greenwood Rwanda Education Fund in memory of our beloved friend to help 293 Rwandan students attend school. A portion will also go to the Santa Barbara Boys & Girls Clubs, where our dancers volunteer, to provide scholarships for children in need.
Justin Bisengimana, Rwanda Program Director:
"We are so grateful to everyone who was part of this Thriller event. We are the witnesses of what the fruits from it bring into many lives in Rwanda. Your hard work and dedication to serve are priceless! We pray for your courage and continued ability to help those in need!”
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850 Thriller Photos
THANK YOU to our amazing photographers for capturing the magic of this experience: Alessandro Herics, Fritz Olenberger, Genevieve Feiner, PJ Heller, Robert Bernstein, Ron Abeles, Tim Smith, Dancers and Friends!
These photographers gave me 5,000 photos, and I selected, edited and named the top pics - a labor of love! To FIND your photos, Click Here then enter a FIRST name in the Search bar, top right. To DOWNLOAD, click on the photo and use the download arrow, bottom right.
Sunken Garden Video
This was the official video for submission to Thrill the World (the flashmob compilation video with all the flashmobs is coming soon). Response from Thrill the World: "Thank you World Dance for sharing your video. Your group is always amazing!"
Want to be part of Thriller 2024?
Contact Janet
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THANK YOU THRILLER EVENT SPONSORS!!! | |
Deepest thanks to our generous Event Sponsors for stepping up to support our work and change the lives of people in need! | |
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April Adams: “World Dance is a collection of positive, kind, strong, intelligent, fun-loving people! To be part of a community that gives back to the world is important to me. The work they do for Rwanda, Ukraine and others in need is inspirational. The classes are my first dance experience. To describe them in two words: meditative cardio. You get lost in the rhythm and the vibes from the other dancers and learn about other cultures. My first Thriller flashmob was great - dancing in public like no one’s watching, transformative and fun! I’m honored to be part of this community!”
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Alison Cox: “Thank you for such an enjoyable and fulfilling Halloween season. I am so happy with my first World Dance experience. Thank you for all that World Dance for Humanity does every day!”
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Barbara Kate Repa: “This year's Thriller practices and performances helped take us away from the troubles of the world for a bit. And the collective love of music and movement the World Dancers share – as well as the camaraderie we feel with one another – poured onto the pavement.”
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Barbara Potter: “My thanks to the World Dancers for all the time, effort, and love you give to the Thriller experience – at the Courthouse and the many flashmobs around town to raise donations for Rwanda, Ukraine, and the Boys and Girls Club. Not only is this a ‘spooktacular’ event, but the camaraderie between the dancers is wonderful. We pulled everything together to make this memorable for everyone, whether dancing or watching. Thank you for such a fun time!”
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Debra McRoberts: “The WD4H Halloween events are so fun and energizing! This is my 3rd year and I’ve been so blessed to have found a lighthearted, vital, and truly wonderful group of friends to dance with. Not only do we do good in the world through our donations, but we also get to exercise, play like kids, and have a core of loving and helpful Friends. I am so very grateful to Janet and all those who share so readily of themselves.”
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Janice Chan: “WD4H is a great opportunity to meet new people while having fun dancing. I enjoy reaching out to the community with our flashmobs to bring awareness to meaningful causes. I look forward to this and many events during the year to bring smiles and joy to everyone we see.”
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Jeannie Low: “What a thrill to join World Dance for Humanity for their annual Thriller performance and flashmobs! As a beginner with no dance background, I had fun learning the dances, meeting people at rehearsals, and sparking smiles from audiences. All in support of a great cause!”
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Juanita Johnson: “There’s nothing like the collective joy that dancing with all of you brings. There’s trust there and a transcendence that comes with the music and movement that connects us to the world and each other. As Maria Popova says: ‘In a lifetime of living in this body, I have known no more powerful a homecoming than music.’ I have to add dance to this. A real blessing in these times.”
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Mary Nishimoto: “Thank you for a very special day in Santa Ynez on the Thriller bus. A great variety of stops. All together at Neverland was a thrill. Joy and friendship all along the way!”
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Olivia Avent: “The World Dance for Humanity Thriller dance was an amazing experience. Beginning with learning the iconic dance, which is exhilarating, then being a part of a community of zombies from all walks of life dancing in unison is truly magical. The power of music and dance to unite the participants, the spectators, and the other Thriller dancers around the world is amazing, and important to remind us of our shared humanity. I look forward to participating again next year!”
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Carpinteria Dia De Los Muertos | |
Carrillo Adapted Recreation | |
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Wedding Flashmob for Ariel & Ron at El Encanto | |
HOLDAY DANCING - JOIN US! | |
We now turn our hearts to the holiday season, dancing around town to beautiful music from around the world. Just come to a class to join us! | |
WORLD DANCE CLASSES - 6 DAYS A WEEK! | |
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Can you spare 45 minutes a week to help local children?
We have a team of World Dancers who generously provide weekly after-school tutoring at the Downtown and Westside Boys & Girls Clubs. We are so grateful to Amy Cluck, Claudia Mazzotti , Linda Honsberger, Liz Ricard, Martina Michenfelder, and coordinator Jackie Pruitt for the wonderful work they are doing! They each help out one day a week, Monday through Thursday, 3:30-4:15pm. Please lend a hand if you can - 45 minutes a week will make a real difference in the life of a young person! Contact Jackie for Info
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