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Photo by Graham Cullen
Dance Unlimited dance company rehearses its production of "Thriller." |
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Years ago, Donna Grim brought "Thriller" to Frederick 's In The Street festival, with zombies popping out of restaurants and downtown shops to join each other in the epic dance.This year, some of her Dance Unlimited students and teachers will perform the dance during the three-day Halloween in Baker Park event. "We're using a lot of the original choreography ... but adding some things," Grim said. "We're just kind of jazzing it up for the people." Because of gaps in the music video (when the camera diverts from the dancers to show a story line), when choreographers work on the dance, it's inevitable that they create new steps or repeat some. The week leading up to Halloween, dancers will come in elaborate costumes and makeup to the recently-renovated Bandshell stage. This event marks the first time Grim has brought her dancers to the new stage. Some Dance Unlimited teachers will join in, too. Advanced students invited to perform "Thriller" range in age from 12 to 17. They'll perform two times each night during the festivities, at 7:15 and 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, Thursday, Oct. 29, and Friday, Oct. 30, all free to the public. Presented by the City of Frederick Parks and Recreation Department, the event will also include a guided walking tour with a Halloween story theme (6:30, 7, 7:30 and 8 p.m. start times, $5 for city residents and $7 for non-city); ghosts, goblins and Halloween creatures; a witches' kitchen and goodie bags. Grim said the public will have the opportunity to learn the "Thriller" dance, too, with a coupon in their goodie bags for a free "Thriller" class at Dance Unlimited during the first week of November. She's choreographed the dance in the past, most recently during the June 2009 Dance Unlimited student/parent concert, but this time it's a little different. She said she sees this performance as a tribute. -- -- -- performingartsfactory.com
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