Flash mob dancers Zumba in CBD

ONLOOKERS watched in shock and awe yesterday as a wave of Zumba dancing females swarmed the CBD for Lismore's first ever flash mob performance.

Dance on: Zumba Instructors Tessa Brauer (left), Josie Robertson and other flash mob dancers from Summit Sports and Fitness Centre stopped traffic in the middle of Woodlark Street yesterday in an effort to promote healthy lifestyle. Picture: Jay Cronan

ONLOOKERS watched in shock and awe yesterday as a wave of Zumba-dancing females swarmed the CBD for Lismore’s first-ever flash mob performance.

Flash mobbing has become a world-wide phenomenon, often used as a marketing tool, when a large group of people suddenly break into a performance in a public place for no apparent reason.

Flash mobbers have used video sharing website YouTube to upload clips of their public performances from all across the world.

Thirty girls wearing hot-pink pants gathered in the middle of busy Woodlark Street yesterday before breaking into a lively Zumba workout for about five minutes.

Zumba is a new exercise regime that fuses together a gym workout with some Latin moves and was used by the flash mob yesterday to promote the Goonellabah Summit Fitness Centre’s new group fitness room.

A passer-by looked very surprised as she attempted to navigate her way through the large group of energetic flash mobbers.

“I was inside a store and I thought, what is happening out there?” Nerida Burns, of Ballina, said.

“But I think it’s just great. It’s good to see people who don’t care what size they are giving it a go.”

The group, made up of young primary school students, teens, mothers and seniors, also performed an earlier flash mob performance at Southern Cross University and later in Magellan Street.

Zumba instructor Tessa Brauer, 20, led the pack in the impromptu dance.

“People were stunned and a bit curious as to why we were dancing in the middle of the street. I could definitely do it again.”

Despite it being Lismore’s first flash mob experience, the concept is well practiced, including in London in 2006 when 4000 commuters at different stations throughout London’s Underground subway started dancing to their portable music devices all at the same time.

The Summit Fitness Zumba group has added its flash mob video to the list of many others on YouTube.

Most popular YouTube flash mobbing videos

The T-Mobile Dance – Liverpool Railway Station, London

Frozen Grand Central – Grand Central Station, New York

Sound of Music – Central Station Antwerp, Belgium

Michael Jackson Tribute – Stockholm

Beyonce 100 Single Ladies Flash Dance – London

Check out the video on YouTube

Originally published as Flash mob dancers Zumba in CBD