The Creepy Era was chosen because of the impact our zombies performing the iconic Thriller Dance has had on the community and legacy of our studio. In 2009, Our Thrill the World campaign raised $33,000 for the House of Hope. It was one of 300 events held worldwide. All the dances were performed simultaneously. We were one of the few events to raise money for charity. Out of $82,000 raised for all 300 events, we raised $33,000. Can you imagine if the other events would have understood the connection of community, dance, and philanthropy? It could have raised millions. But we are proud to have inspired the many who were watching.
The subsequent zombie invasion occurred in 2018. The campaign For the Thrill of It raised over $16,000 and was split between Samantha Funding the Arts and the Southern High School Drama Department. We were fortunate to work with the talents of Mark and Laura Stutzman. Laura created so much media buzz, photos, and graphics, and Mark created a critically acclaimed short film about our zombies. They elevated our project to a whole new level.
Here is the critical review from Short Films Mater:
Mark Stutzman’s short promotional video spotlights Brenda’s Body Shop community-led initiative, which unites dance enthusiasts to recreate Michael Jackson’s iconic ‘Thriller’ dance. Despite being a low-budget production and serving as an advertisement for a past event, the film weaves a compelling narrative featuring a congregation of zombies in a terror-driven storyline.
While operating within budget constraints, the production and costume design achieve a commendable standard, contributing to the overall appeal of the narrative. The film effectively serves its purposes as a marketing campaign, showcasing the success of Brenda Brosnihan’s choreography and instruction in bringing together a diverse group of individuals for the exciting passion of their impactful work across age groups; this short film is a compelling invitation to explore this dance studio's vibrant and inclusive world the impactful work they do across age groups, this short film is a compelling invitation to explore the vibrant and inclusive world of this dance studio.
This zombie dance is such a hit that I often get asked when we will be doing it again. The phenomenon had me scratching my head one day at why it was such a hit. The song is iconic but just a song; the dance is fun but not the only dance that is fun; the costuming is unique and opens a world of creative expression. Upon further reflection, I believe it was the creative costuming and the ability to make yourself into a character that can lower the inhibitions for dancing. Indeed, another character had to check those three boxes of song, dance, costume, and anonymity. That was the moment the Scarecrow idea was born. It would allow people to create their costumes; we could pick a fun song, and the dance would reflect that character. The costume would lower inhibitions and provide the necessary anonymity. By choosing Cindy’s Fund as our charity, it was apparent that we should rebrand the Scare to CareCrows. This campaign was terrific, and everyone loved it when the Carecrows performed. We appeared all around town leading up to the Autumn Glory Festival. The CareCrows were invited to provide entertainment for the Autumn Glory Kick-Off Dinner. CareCrows raised $12,600 for Cindy’s Fund.