Quick Answer
The most popular flash mob choreography styles are hip hop, jazz, and decade themes like the 1920s, 1980s, and 1990s, plus Latin, swing, and the famous Thriller routine. The right style depends on your event, your crowd, and the reaction you want. A good choreographer matches the style to your music and your dancers' skill level, whether they are trained performers or guests learning a routine for the first time.
In This Guide
- Flash mob style should match your event and your crowd, not the other way around.
- Hip hop and jazz are the most versatile and work for almost any modern event.
- Decade themes (1920s, 1980s, 1990s) give a party instant identity and costumes.
- Thriller is the standout seasonal choice and the most recognizable routine you can book.
- Betties and Belles choreographs and performs nationwide, coast to coast.
Style Comes Second. The Moment Comes First.
Most people pick a flash mob choreography style backwards. They fall in love with a routine they saw online, then try to force it onto an event where it does not fit. The better way: start with the moment you want to create, the crowd, the venue, the reaction, and let that decide the style. A hip hop routine that kills at a product launch might feel wrong at a black-tie gala, and a swing number that charms a wedding could fall flat at a trade show.
Betties and Belles has choreographed and performed flash mobs nationwide since 2011, in just about every style there is. Here is how the most popular ones actually play out, and when each one is the right call.
Hip Hop and Jazz: The Versatile Default
If you are not sure what style you want, this is usually the answer. Hip hop and jazz set to current music work at almost any modern event, a corporate party, a birthday, a reception, a concert. The moves read well from a distance, the energy is high, and the music is familiar enough that the crowd is instantly on board.
It is also the most flexible for skill level. A polished routine with trained dancers looks sharp, but the same style scales down for a group of guests learning a few counts, which is why it is a favorite for surprise performances where the guest of honor joins in.
Decade Themes: Instant Identity
Nothing gives a party a personality faster than a decade theme. The costumes do half the work before anyone moves, and the music carries the crowd. These are the eras we perform most:
- 1920s and Great Gatsby. Flapper dresses, feathered headpieces, and the Charleston, Lindy Hop, and fox trot. A favorite for galas, weddings, and upscale corporate events.
- 1950s and 1960s. Sock hop girls and Go-go dancers doing the Twist, the Jitterbug, and Swing. Instant nostalgia, family-friendly, and fun to watch.
- 1980s and 1990s. Big energy, big music, and costumes people love. These decade themes are some of our most requested, because almost everyone in the room grew up on the soundtrack.
A decade theme also gives your guests something to talk about and photograph, which is exactly what makes a flash mob spread online after the event.
Thriller: The Seasonal Showstopper
The Thriller routine deserves its own mention, because it is the most recognizable flash mob on earth. The shuffling zombies, the claw hands, the head snaps, everyone knows it the second the music starts, and that recognition is what makes the surprise explode. It peaks around Halloween, but the song works year-round at product launches, grand openings, and proposals.
Want the full breakdown? See our guide to the Thriller flash mob, or the Thriller flash mob service page to book one.
Latin, Swing, and Specialty Styles
For something with more flavor, Latin and swing styles bring a different energy. Samba and salsa suit a Carnivale theme, a reception, or a fundraiser, with bright costumes and fast footwork that fill a room. Swing pairs naturally with the decade themes and gets a crowd on its feet.
We also perform and choreograph more technical styles, ballet, contemporary, tap, and kicklines, for events and productions that call for trained dancers. These are where a real dance background shows, and they set a performance apart from anything a casual group could pull off.
How to Choose the Right Style
A quick way to narrow it down. Match your event to the column that fits, then talk it through with your choreographer.
| Your event | Style that usually fits |
|---|---|
| Corporate party or product launch | Hip hop, jazz, or a decade theme |
| Wedding or reception | Hip hop, swing, or a first-dance routine |
| Gala or upscale event | 1920s Great Gatsby or ballroom |
| Halloween event | Thriller |
| Fundraiser or festival | Samba, Latin, or high-energy hip hop |
Frequently Asked Questions
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Tessa Caccavallo is the founder of Betties and Belles. A former Indianapolis Colts cheerleader and Indiana Pacers dancer, she performed at Super Bowl XLIV and was voted a Pro Bowl cheerleader by her teammates. She founded Betties and Belles in 2011 and has choreographed flash mobs, competition routines, and music video performances for clients including SpaceX, Google, Eli Lilly, and the PGA Tour.