In the Loop

News and views from across Mayo Clinic

November 22, 2013

A real Halloween “Thriller”

By Hoyt Finnamore

Imagine getting together with a group of your colleagues and performing a dance number to Michael Jackson's "Thriller." Now, imagine having so much fun that you just couldn't resist doing it again. And then one more time for good measure. Yeah, we can't either. But then we're not the fun-loving folks from HR. Clearly.

Our friends in Human Resources decided to do a Thriller-based flash-mob-style number to kick off an HR Recognition Event earlier this year. At that event, when the masters of ceremony announced that they were "thrilled everyone is here," (Get it?) the music kicked in, and the rest is HR dance history. It was such a hit, we're told, that the choreographed crew decided to get the band back together for Halloween (today) to provide a little retro entertainment for the kids at Mayo Eugenio Litta Children's Hospital -- in the same space where Elmo, Batman, Spiderman and the Hulk recently made appearances.

And after strutting their stuff, they took some time to teach the kids a few of the moves. Some of the gang from Child Life Services also joined the act, which probably made it even more entertaining for the kids (and we mean that in the nicest possible way). Then, the HR crew moonwalked back to work.

Our friends in Child Life Services tell us events like this are fun for the kids and a great distraction from everyday life in the hospital. That's just what our HR friends were thinking. “Although Human Resources may not directly care for patients, this was a creative way for HR to distract a few patients from their worries for a brief time,” says Ann Torkelson, division chair, Human Resources, Rochester. And even though HR staff may not get as many requests for autographs and pictures as our Muppet and superhero friends, we're going to go ahead and give them the nod for shedding their workaday costumes and bustin' a move for the kids.

You can see video from the performance here. But don't be spooked. Give us a treat and share your comments below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_GdbXFKNkk

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