GSSW Magazine - University of Denver

Graduate School
of Social Work
Craig Hall
2148 South High Street
Denver, CO 80208-7100
The Last Word
Flashmob
(flæ∫_mäb) noun – GSSW’s best-kept secret
The mysterious flyers began appearing around Craig Hall just
before the holidays: “DWD 2.0,” they read, providing two dates
in January when students, faculty and staff were to gather on the
Schramm Foundation Plaza just outside Craig Hall’s main entrance.
“What’s that all about?” people wondered aloud. It turns out that
a good-sized (and very sneaky) contingent of them already knew!
Those who assembled on the sunny plaza around lunchtime
on January 6 found speakers blaring Lady Gaga while various
camera-toting staff took up positions nearby. Once a crowd had
gathered, the music abruptly switched to “Bing, Bang, Boom” by
country music band, Highway 101. Four people immediately began
to line-dance, oddly enough in perfect unison. Seconds later, two
more joined in, and then another four. No sooner would someone
ask the person beside them “What’s going on?” than that person
would join the dance, too. Finally Dean Williams made a grand
entrance through the door from the lobby, eliciting cheers as he
fell right in step. The flashmob, onlookers finally learned, was
a lavishly produced invitation to the second “Dancing with the
Dean” event, to be held just over a month later.
The mob, which repeated its performance four days later, was
organized in early November by Associate Professor Eugene
Walls. Dance lessons and rehearsals took place in secret over the
next two months—small groups meeting during lunch breaks,
after work and even on weekends–all without a single leak
to “outsiders” about what was to come. Amazingly enough,
considering their stellar execution, the full group had never once
performed together until–Bing, Bang, Boom!–the flashmob
took over the plaza!
Share the fun by watching the videos.
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