by Scott Schaefer

If you happened to be walking through the Olde Burien Block Party late Saturday afternoon (July 16), you may have noticed something unusual right in front of 909 Coffee – around 50 people of all ages were dressed up as Hot Dogs, frozen in place smack dab in the middle of the street.

Passersby, children, families and attendees looked on, all seemingly stunned. Just what the heck was going on? Soon, local blonde celeb Manuela Horn (aka the ‘Yodeling Dominatrix’), dressed in a traditional Bavarian ‘Drindl’ dress in her 6’2″ frame, walked through the frozen group, shouting ‘Here Ket-chup-chup-chup! Here Ket-chup-chup-chup!’

Soon, music started – the rhythm track to ‘Who Let The Dogs Out.‘ Manuela had a mic in her hand and she changed the lyrics to ‘Who Let The Brats Out?‘ as the flash mobbers came to life and did a nicely-choreographed dance number to the delight of the crowd. It was magical, it was marvelous, and it was a first (far as we know) – yes folks, mark your calendars – Burien experienced its first-ever “Flash Mob” on Saturday, July 16, 2011.

Of course, we were tipped to the top secret stunt from some of our high-placed local friends, including the Organizers behind the annual Brat Trot 5K Fundraiser Race, coming up Oct. 9th, as well as Burien Parks’ National Parks & Recreation Month (July).

Cameras were operated by Scott Schaefer, Mark Neuman, Maureen Hoffmann, Gina Kallman and Dan Wilk, and the video was edited by Schaefer (be sure to view in full-screen mode, and crank your speakers up!):

Click here to view the embedded video.

WHO DID WHAT AND HOW IT WAS DONE:
Burien’s first-ever ‘Flash Mob’ was coordinated by Burien Parks’ Casey Stanley along with Brat Trot Organizer Lisa Tuman.

About two hours before the actual Flash Mob, participants met at the Burien Community Center. Dancers ran through their routines one more time, while a group of volunteers were given HD video cameras and briefed on how the shoot would take place. It was like we were all on some sort of top secret mission. There was a map (!) with little camera and hot dog icons, representing dancers and videographers and our placement on the street. One camera operator was even placed on the roof of the 909 (Dan Wilk). I was to mingle on the street below, but no intrude in the ‘turf’ of my fellow camerapeeps. My focus was to get the dancers as much as possible, while others were to get shots of reactions. No matter what, we were all supposed to look like we ‘just happened to be in the right place at the right time’ with our cameras rolling.

Here are the rest of the credits (let us know if we left anyone out and we’ll add their names):

• Gretchen Sinclair, a Parks’ fitness instructor, Choreographed the dance
• Debb Will from Highline Athletic Club assisted
• Manuela Horn wrote the lyrics and sang “Who Let the Brats Out?” to the music of “Who Let the Dogs Out?“
• Dancers:
• Amanda Morales
• Shelley Brittingham
• Pam Odegard
• Casey Stanley
• Patty Janssen
• Heidi Clarke
• Thelma Stefnik
• Amelia Trowbridge
• Debb Will
• Jessica Roe
• Johnna Lemke
• Judy Lemke
• Sugin Zhang
• Jacquie Ream
• Scott Miller
• Hunter Osborne
• Alyona, Heidi
• Alexis
• Elle
• Pollette
• Tera H.
• Gracie
• Quan
• Rylee
• Nancy Post
• Kevin Petersen
• Gretchen Sinclair
• Ken Monroe
• Alison Tennant
• Julie Nelson
• Amie Fisher
• Kathy Otterson
• Janet Peterson
• Ben Kerns
• Brian Lemon
• Deb Win
• Gretchen Granet
• Vansica Siu
• And many kids who were coaxed by their parents to join in on the fun.

And according to Burien Parks Director Michael Lafreneire:

Two practices were held to learn the dance routine (Tuesday 7/12 & Thursday 7/14) from 7-8 p.m. at the Community Center.

All participants then met back up at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Community Center to practice once more, get their hot dog costumes, get organized into teams by Casey, and head to their appropriate locations.

Hot dogs appeared from 6 different locations around Old Town Burien around 4:25 p.m.

All participants learned about the Flash Mob through word of mouth.

The flash mob collaboration was to promote both National Parks & Recreation Month (July) as celebrated by Burien Parks & Recreation, and the Brat Trot coming this October.

Burien Parks is celebrating ‘Parks and Rec Month’ during July – check out their parks-based Scavenger Hunt here (PDF file).

And don’t forget to register for the Brat Trot 5K Fundraiser, which is coming Sunday, Oct. 9th, here! This annual event will benefit the Highline Schools Foundation for Excellence, Safe Kids of South King County and the Multicare Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital & Health Center.

Here are some screengrabs from the video:

Here’s their bio as provided by band founder Dusty Dunkle:

BCB (Burien City Ballbangers) is a hard rock band straight out of….. you guessed it, B-Town. The band plays primarily 80′s covers, but always adds their own BCB sound. Two big, loud guitars replace keyboards, making BCB versions far heavier and edgier than the originals.

Dusty Dunkle (guitar) formed BCB in 1996, as a highlight for a huge annual holiday party in the Dunkle’s Hurstwood home. BCB played everything from the Doors to Rage Against the Machine, and literally turned a nice home into a beer soaked concert hall, complete with fog machine, light show, and way too many loud amps. It was an instant tradition, and BCB along with hundreds of friends and fans would turn quiet Hurstwood upside down every year thereafter.

All BCB members have played professionally and all began playing their instruments over 25 years ago. Dusty, Dave Harrison (drums), and Derek Doell (guitar), met at Kennedy High School and began jamming together in 1984. Just a couple years later they met Eric Wiseman (bass). Dusty met Chris Bewick (vocals), at WSU, and they went on to play the Seattle music scene together in the early 90′s.

Today, BCB chooses to play just a few select shows each year, and rocks their versions of AC-DC, U2, Devo, the Cult, Billy Idol, and others.

Come see your local residents, the Burien City Ballbangers, headline the Olde Burien Block Party this Saturday from 9:00 – 11:00.

Olde Burien’s annual Block Party is this Saturday, July 17th, from Noon – Midnight, with tons of FREE summer fun, including ice cream and sausage eating contests, live music, a fashion show and a drawing for a $500 shopping spree.

The festivities are the Olde Burien Retail Group’s thank you to customers and community for their support.

Among the party’s diversions, get the skinny on the hottest apparel with a fashion show at 2 p.m. Test those scarfing skills against other competitors in ice cream-eating and sausage-eating contests at 4 p.m.

From Noon to 10 p.m., live tunes range from Motown to hard rock. Sit back and enjoy with a meal or a drink in extended outdoors seating of Olde Burien eateries.

Don’t forgot to shop or eat in Olde Burien on July 17. Event-goers who make purchases at participating businesses that day will be entered into a drawing for a $500 Olde Burien shopping spree. It’s the perfect time to stock up on the distinctive merchandise of Olde Burien shops and take advantage of extraordinary store specials.

The street party’s entertainment schedule is:

• 12-1 p.m. – Greg Parke (easy listening acoustic & electric guitar)
• 1:30-2 p.m. – Guest Band
• 2-2:30 p.m. – Fashion Show
• 3-4 p.m. – The Blame (rock & roll)
• 4-4:30 p.m. – Ice Cream and Sausage Eating Contest
• 4:30-5:30 p.m. – Seatown R & B Players (R & B, Motown)
• 6-7 p.m. – The Evin Rudes (‘70s & ‘80s top forty)
• 7:30-8:30 p.m.- Uncle Ernie (rock & roll)
• 8:30 p.m. – Grand Prize Drawing for $500 Olde Burien Shopping Spree
• 9-10 p.m. – The Burien City Ballbangers (hard rock)

Sponsoring the event are Burien Auto Row and the Mark Restaurant & Bar.

Find the party in Olde Burien on SW 152nd between Ambaum Blvd. SW and 10 Ave SW, which will close to vehicular traffic at 9 a.m.

For more information, call (206) 941-7199 or go online to www.shopoldeburien.com.

Here’s a photo slideshow of the day’s highlights by Photographer Michael Brunk:

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

Olde Burien is, of course, located in Olde Burien on SW 152nd between Ambaum Blvd. and 10th Ave SW.