On a recent Saturday afternoon, 140 dancers gathered at the Ailey Studios in Hell’s Kitchen to rehearse their rendition of the dance from Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” music video.
On Thursday, they will perform the iconic dance in front of millions of people — who will watch on Sixth Avenue or on TV — as part of the Village Halloween Parade.
The group includes dancers who’ve been doing this since the tradition started 20 years ago, as well as one Ukrainian woman who flew in from the Czech Republic. The dancers include professionals as well as novices looking to cross the experience off their bucket lists.
"You look forward to seeing the same people every year," said Vanessa Velazquez, a dancer returning for her fifth parade. "New York gets into it, so you can't help but feel that energy of New Yorkers who want to dance.”
Every year, married couple Jorge Escobar and Todd Senzon — known as the "zombie papas" — help lead Thriller NYC, a volunteer group that organizes the dancing contingent. Neither is a professional dancer, but they give their time to the endeavor because of the joy it brings to dancers and spectators.
They recruit the dancers, plan rehearsals and organize "ghostly" makeup tutorials. On parade day, they oversee dancers from the sidelines and occasionally perform in the rear.
Escobar, who has been in this role for 14 years, said the power of dance brings people together.
"We don’t care about your political views or race,” he said. “The 'Thriller' dance is a warm cup of hot chocolate. It creates a place of safety, a place of fun. Your parents know it, your grandparents know it. It’s very relatable."
Competition to participate in “Thriller” is fierce. All wannabe dancers must register in advance, and this year, the $50 entry tickets sold out in 90 seconds. Senzon said those fees help pay for studio rentals as well as dance and makeup lessons. Leftover funds are donated to the nonprofit organization that runs the Village Halloween Parade.
In addition to the dancers, another 20 people will ride on the float, which blasts the instrumental soundtrack. Another 40 bouncers, dressed like zombies, protect the performers from overzealous press and spectators.
Dancers must adhere to the zombie dress code, which allows for any kind of costume, as long as one's makeup attempts to convey otherworldliness.
While the dance is familiar to just about everyone, performing it is not as simple as it looks. Arms and legs flail haphazardly in one direction, while the head twitches freakishly in another. Shoulders oscillate, hips shimmy and legs wobble. Growling is also required.
Another potential challenge is that dancers need the stamina to do the routine up to 30 times during the parade and be able to improvise, should the music cut off or the float speed ahead.
Dance newbie Elizabeth Gonzalez was thrilled to participate this year after not being quick enough to secure a spot last year.
"I was on the computer at 12 p.m. refreshing, refreshing until I got it," she said.
She was at the rehearsal with her coworker Kathy Gutierrez, who’ll be dancing with her Thursday night.
The ladies breezed through the rehearsal in their matching illustrated "Thriller" T-shirts and laughed at the occasional misstep.
"I want them to be excited for what we're doing,” Gonzalez said. “I just hope to feel that energy."
The 51st annual Village Halloween Parade is Thursday, Oct. 31. It steps off at 7 p.m. and marches from Spring Street up to 15th Street along Sixth Avenue. It also airs live on Spectrum News NY1.
Editor's note: This reporter had so much fun reporting this story that she'll be joining the dancers Thursday night.
