Song and Dance

You know how when you watch a musical or an opera, you can't quite suspend disbelief enough to avoid thinking, "Yeah, right... nobody spontaneously bursts into song or dance in real life..."?

Well, there are several videos floating around cyberspace that show the reactions of everyday people in everyday places when a select group of public improv performers do exactly that, and in the most unexpected times and locations.

Most recently, in the Central Station of Antwerp, a sizeable group provides choreography to the infamous "Do Re Mi" song from The Sound of Music.



I think T-Mobile did a great job on their "Life's For Sharing" advertisement, which took place in Liverpool Street Station back on January 15.



(My favorite moment is about two minutes into the clip, when an elderly lady laden with shopping bags joins the fun and dancing, with a priceless expression of enjoyment.)

Of course, there's the infamous "Food Court Musical" put on by Improv Everywhere:



I love watching the expressions of the onlookers in all of these videos, ranging from disinterest to curiosity to surprise to real enjoyment. I really get a kick out of this kind of social experiment.

How would you respond if everyday life - in a train station, on a subway, in a mall - suddenly became extraordinary?

Really, don't we all need a little more music in our lives?