I like to preface the next sentence with the following: I AM IN NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM A DANCER. The next statement is: I along with my daughter-in-law and about 100 poker ladies recently participated in a Flash Mob at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 1st. I initially thought when I received the invitation "oh this will be fun". Then I started receiving the video tapes with the choreography for practice. It lasted 3 1/2 minutes but it seemed like 3 1/2 hours. It was very cleverly done by dividing up dance routines by songs. It contained four songs which included: "Y'all Ready For This", "All The Single Ladies", "Poker Face", and "It's Raining Men". I started haphazardly and realized quickly I needed professional help if I really wanted not to look too inept. My son and daughter-in-law were coming to visit so I coerced my daughter-in-law, Jen, who has taken dance and is a natural talent, into training me and participating with me in the "mob".
We trained at home and laughed more than danced but had great fun and workouts with the videos. The rest of the group had live rehearsals in Las Vegas and in Los Angeles. We couldn't go to either one. So we practiced at home and left for Las Vegas the day before the event with high expectations of fun and frivolity.
I was really going to Las Vegas to play in the World Series of Poker (Ladies Event) as I have done the four years prior. My husband, son and daughter-in-law came to support me and have some fun in Las Vegas as well.
The day before the "Flash Mob" I played in a tournament at the Golden Nugget where I picked up our official "red scarfs" to be used in the mob the next day. During a bathroom break I heard music in the casino playing "All the Single Ladies" and my body automatically went into the routine as I danced my way into the bathroom - almost giving away the secret mission.
The next morning we started with a healthy breakfast before making our way down to the World Series of Poker (WSOP) convention center floor. The Ladies event began with a beautiful tribute to the Ladies of Poker. While the tribute was going on we noticed ladies walking by with their red scarfs ever so slightly showing from under their shirts and we smiled slyly at each other knowing we were soon going to be part of this memorable day.
We weren't quite sure where we were supposed to stand in relation to the other participants but knew from other flash mobs that it is supposed among people who are not participating. So we positioned ourselves on the corner where our husbands could hold our purses and videotape our dance. We heard the music cue and started our dance. I realized that we were by ourselves and the rest of the crowd was up front together in a group by the stage. Somewhere I missed that memo. But in true "show must go on" spirit we danced our little hearts out in the corner giving the people in the back of the room a chance to see a piece of the "flash mob".
I remembered most of the routine and looked to my partner to see what to do but gave it my all and had fun. We danced our little hearts out and had great fun doing it. The video (see here) is the "Secret Mission" ladies flash mob (just imagine us in the back in the corner doing the same thing - only better haha).
Congratulations to all the ladies that put it together and made it happen. For me a big thank-you to Jen my dance instructor and partner in crime. It was a blast!
Thinking maybe next year I will skip the poker and just join the mob. After all I am Italian.
