Get Your Zombie On

Who’da thunk in 1983 that Michael Jackson’s actual corpse would look nothing like the swarthy, raccoon-eyed zombie he plays at the end of the “Thriller” video? Most MJ fans, you gotta figure, will always remember him as that curly-headed kid in the red jacket leading a small platoon in some of the most bitchin’ choreography the undead have ever undertaken. Now that an undertaker has had a turn with Jackson, the annual rite that is Thrill the World — a simultaneous performance of the “Thriller” dance by groups in 300-some spots around the globe — has a whole new meaning. Well, maybe not “new” so much as “unironically somewhat poignant.” If you want to join the Fort Lauderdale dance, just remember that it’s OK to shed a tear as you stagger around in search of brains. Registration begins Saturday at 7 p.m. for the 8:30 (“sharp”) zombie melee at BeachPlace (17 S. A1A, Fort Lauderdale). You can zomb for free but if you’re an upstanding sort, you’ll buy raffle tickets to benefit the Dizzy Feet Foundation, which helps kids join the performing arts. Find out more (including practice times) at myspace.com/ttwftlauderdale or learn about the worldwide event at thrilltheworld.com.
Sat., Oct. 24, 7 p.m., 2009