Reaching out to
the Jane Fonda in us all
Flash mobs in fitness outfits dance to the beat
By Toni Fitzgerald
Oct 20, 2009
You're hurrying toward the entrance of the local mall to grab some lunch when suddenly you find yourself in the midst of what looks like a Jane Fonda aerobics video shoot.
The plaza has been invaded by 100 people wearing '80s-inspired exercise garb, bright turquoise spandex pants, half shirts, leotards and sweatbands. An instructor stands in front of them, yelling out commands like a drill sergeant in legwarmers.
The people behind her mirror her every move over the next minute, performing bicep curls, jumping jacks and leg lifts. They shimmy and shake as one, smiling and clapping to the beat of the loud music in the background.
The instructor yells "freeze." Everyone throws one arm up into the air and poses. Then the crowd disperses just as quickly as it arrived.
You've been flash-mobbed, courtesy of LiveWell Colorado, a nonprofit aiming to eradicate obesity through exercise and healthy eating. The street-level aerobics class, which popped up at three locations across the state last month, is part of a new campaign to encourage healthy living.
"We wanted to kick off the campaign with a big event that would challenge Coloradoans to live well, generate a buzz across the state, and send the message that active living is fun and accessible," says Maren C. Stewart, president and CEO of LiveWell Colorado.
The flash mobs were planned with Sukle Advertising & Design, LiveWell's agency. To take part in the aerobics demonstration, LiveWell recruited LiveWell stakeholders, grantees and partners; local improv, dance and theater groups; and members of local university clubs and organizations, as well as friends of LiveWell and Sukle staff.
An aerobics instructor choreographed a routine and performed it on a video, which was posted on YouTube. A link to the video was sent to everyone who had signed up to participate.
The participants practiced on their own ahead of time, then for about an hour all together before the flash mobs took place.
At exactly 12:10 p.m. on Sept. 30, three mobs swarmed three different locations: Denver's Independence Plaza; Greeley's University of Northern Colorado campus; and Grand Junction's Mesa State College quad.
The idea worked on two levels. It was a huge attention-getter, obviously. A few bystanders in Denver even joined in the demonstration, but just as many snapped pictures with their cell phones.
But it also was the perfect way to get across the LiveWell message, which is one of community.
"Our key message to Coloradoans is that making healthy choices is fun and easy, and even more so when we encourage each other to live lives filled with healthy eating and active living," Stewart says.
The flash mobs received coverage from local TV stations and newspapers, and they've received a second life online. LiveWell filmed the events and posted the video on hundreds of video sharing sites, including YouTube, where it has gotten more than 2,000 plays.
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