BERLIN – An international Dance for Kindness event is making its way to Berlin next month.
On Sunday, Nov. 10, community members are invited to participate in the first Dance for Kindness event in Berlin.
Each year, to kick off World Kindness Week, Life Vest Inside – an international nonprofit – organizes Dance for Kindness, a worldwide flash mob and freeze mob event that unites groups from across the globe to celebrate kindness and perform the same song and dance routine on the same day, according to the organization’s website.
In 2018, for example, the Dance for Kindness event included 120 cities, 50 countries and more than 20,000 participants.
This year, Dance for Kindness will also make its way to Berlin. Group leader Cheryl Brown said she was inspired to bring the event to Worcester County after participating in Dance for Kindness in Salisbury, which is led by Grace Foxwell Murdock.
“She’s the one who inspired me,” she said. “I did do it in Salisbury for the past three years, and since I’m a Berlin local, and there’s obviously kind people in Berlin too, I figured I’d bring it to Berlin and see what happens.”
In September, Berlin was named a Dance for Kindness city. And since that time, Brown said she has been working with town officials and local groups to prepare for next month.
She said the Berlin Dance for Kindness event will take place on the lawn of Buckingham Presbyterian Church – located on South Main Street – from 2-4 p.m., with the dance itself starting at 3 p.m.
“Dance registration is open, so they can register to dance or also register to volunteer,” she said. “You can register schools, or you can just be a lone dancer. You don’t have to be part of a group.”
Brown explained that community members interested in participating in this year’s event can register online at www.danceforkindness.com. Once registered, dancers will receive a link to learn the routine ahead of Nov. 10.
“Whoever shows up, I want it to be a fun time where people can get together …,” she said. “Anyone can come.”
Brown added the registration fee to participate is $10 per person, but a portion of the proceeds will be given to an organization of each city’s choosing.
“Even though Life Vest Inside is its own nonprofit organization, and a lot of funds are going to them, they are going to be donating 10% of whatever is raised to the organization that each separate city chooses,” she said. “So I have specifically chosen to donate 10% to the American Cancer Society.”
In addition to the dance, Brown said the event will also feature make-and-take crafts and activities, including sidewalk chalk, bubbles and music.
“I’m also thinking of doing something for veterans since the very next day is Veterans Day,” she said. “I was going to get some postcards for people to write kind quotes or messages to send away to our veterans.”
Brown noted that Berlin and Salisbury are the only two cities in Maryland registered for this year’s Dance for Kindness event. She said she was eager to work alongside Murdock to link the two events.
“We’re the only two cities in the state of Maryland that are doing the Dance for Kindness, yet we are only 25, 30 miles from each other,” she said. “So we are trying to virtually connect each other.”
In Salisbury, the Dance for Kindness event will be held at the Riverwalk Amphitheater from 2-4 p.m.
To register for a local Dance for Kindness event, visit www.danceforkindness.com. For more information on Berlin’s first Dance for Kindness event, email [email protected].
“I’m hoping for Berlin it continues to increase awareness for how we can all be kind and spread the joy to each other,” she said. “Our world is hard and nothing is easy, but we can still be nice.”
