MSU Student Life hosts flash mob

MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon and Sparty join a flash mob organized by the MSU Dept. of Student Life on Saturday at Demonstration Field. The flash mob was the idea of Denise Maybank, senior associate vice president for Student Affairs and Services, third from left.
MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon, Sparty and about a hundred green-T-shirt clad students sidestepped and fist pumped their way across Demonstration Field Saturday morning.

The MSU Department of Student Life hosted a “flash mob” before the Homecoming football game for students and staff to do the Spartan Shuffle.

“We just wanted to do something fun and exciting for homecoming and this just seemed like the right thing to do to get things started,” said Denise Maybank, senior associate vice president for Student Affairs and Services.

A flash mob is when a large group of people gather suddenly in a public area and begin an activity such as dancing.
“I’m not sure where it originally came from,” communication junior Elizabeth Battiste said. “But I know at the university, President Simon really wanted to do it and Dr. Maybank … was really excited about it too.”

Battiste helped organize the event and promote it via Facebook, Twitter and an instructional YouTube video that teaches students how to do the Spartan Shuffle, or “the Sparty.” Battiste said the response was strong and they hope to continue it for years to come.

Battiste also was among the participants in the dance that was led by Maybank. Along with organizing the event, Maybank choreographed the dance.

“(I) just tried to find easy steps that people wouldn’t be threatened by so that they feel comfortable doing it,” Maybank said.

“It’s an easy line dance. No different than the Cupid Shuffle or anything else.”

Graduate student Lizzy Thornton had seen videos of flash mobs at other universities, such as Grand Valley State University and Ohio State University, so when she heard about this event she wanted to be a part of it.

“I was really excited to see MSU doing something like this for the students,” Thornton said. “There were a good number of people. It was fantastic to see Lou Anna Simon out here as well and Sparty.”

Thornton said she hopes the event, which was filmed, will bring positive publicity to the university if it goes viral.

Overall, she said she enjoyed the event and will take something away from the experience, figuratively and literally.

“It’s always great to get a free T-shirt,” Thornton said.


source: http://www.statenews.com/index.php/m/article/2010/10/msu_student_life_hosts_flash_mob