Who said August is too early to plan Halloween? Tony Meredith of the Aloha Ballroom Company is already working on a spooky treat.

The master dancer and choreographer is planning a flash mob on Oʻahu to the tune of Michael Jackson’s cult hit “Thriller.”

The Conversation thought it sounded like a great time, so members of our production team headed over to the Aloha Ballroom Company to learn a few steps.

“The great thing about a flash mob is that you don’t have to be a professional because you don’t have to go into detail and you’re not judged,” says Meredith.

Are you not familiar with flash mobs? A group of people suddenly gather in a public place, dance to a rehearsed song or playlist and then go their separate ways, often without even looking back.

“We always encourage individualism and you know, we give you the steps, the numbers, the idea, the concept, the character, but then it’s yours, you take it, you make it your own.”

Meredith had previously told HPR that he had roots in Hawaii and Samoa.

“I was always a fan of Michael Jackson when it came to dancing, and I had a studio in New York and also a studio in Columbus, Ohio, and this was an annual event that we had been doing for, well, the last 15 years,” Meredith said. “I had just moved to Hawaii and thought this was the place to just share it with everyone.”

The first of 10 Halloween Flash Mob classes begins Sunday, August 18, with the performance taking place on October 26 at a surprise location yet to be announced. Click here to register.

This story was broadcast on The conversation on August 15, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.