Flash Mob America Brings Crowds Together for Surprise Celebrations.

Last month I participated in my very first "flash mob," in one of the most recognizable areas of Central Park, at the sparkling Bethesda Fountain. Thanks to the efforts of Flash Mob America, WGINY (along with several hundred others) was able to share in a very special moment for one young couple, "Anthony" and "Michelle," and help make that moment even more memorable.

It was very simple to sign up for the "Marriage Proposal Flash Mob" event on Flash Mob America's event registration site. From there, I received an email with links to videos on youtube.com from which I could learn the dance that we would be performing in the park, to a very fitting Jason DeRulo song, "Will You Marry Me". The dance seemed complex at first glance, but with just a couple of views I was able to get down some of the moves (with special thanks to a flash mob friend for explaining "kick-ball-change" incessantly until I caught on). There would also be a three-hour rehearsal on the day of the event, just prior to the proposal scene.

Our dance instructor and one of the co-founders of Flash Mob America, Staci Lawrence, was wonderful to work with, easy to follow, and full of flair and style. She reminded us that the most important thing was to just have fun. We drilled through the dance at rehearsal with Staci, breaking down individual dance moves, and then putting it all back together again, until we really began to find our flow as a group. Our group was then split up into several smaller groups, so that the flash mob we were creating would start small and seemingly grow from nowhere. The location of the marriage proposal was not given to us until the final moments of rehearsal, as the proposal was going to be a complete surprise for the intended bride-to-be, and we also didn't want any passersby to catch on to what we were doing until we had begun dancing.

The final effect was incredible. The Bethesda Fountain area became flooded with dancers, all focused on Michelle, who elatedly and emotionally accepted Anthony's grand gesture with exuberance. Anthony and Michelle were strangers to us all, but it was amazing to be a part of their joy and know that we could all share with them an experience that none of us will ever forget.

Check out the video from Anthony and Michelle's marriage proposal above, and keep up with Flash Mob America on facebook and twitter to learn of future events, or hire them for your next special event. The organization is available for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, weddings, and just about anything else you can imagine.