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Student Life
Date May 7, 2025
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Maggie Spear
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Photos: Flash mob brings rhythm, relief during final exams at Brown

On the first day of Brown’s final examination period, members of the student-led organization No Empty Seats brought the College Green to life with a spontaneous, throwback dance routine.

Students break into flash mob on College Green
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On the first day of Brown's final examination period, members of the student-led nonprofit No Empty Seats burst into a flash mob featuring nostalgic pop and musical hits. Photos by Maggie Spear/Brown University.

Group strikes a pose during flash mob on College Green
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The group danced to an upbeat medley that ended with "We're All in This Together," a number from "High School Musical."

Students dance on College Green
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The goal was to bring levity and joy to a stressful period on campus and to encourage students as they prepared for final examinations, said No Empty Seats Founding President Michael OuYang.

Group hugs after dancing
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Performers hug and high-five after successfully pulling off the event, which took several weeks to coordinate.

Crowd gathers to watch flash mob
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A crowd had already gathered before the flash mob broke out, as members of No Empty Seats passed around motivational wristbands and stickers, offering the audience congratulations on tackling final exams.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — In the thick of final examination period, as textbooks piled up and caffeine-fueled study sessions swept campus, students on Brown University’s College Green got an unexpected reprieve from the end-of-semester marathon: an early 2000s-inspired flash mob. 

On Wednesday, May 7, dozens of students burst into synchronized dance at the base of the Faunce Steps of the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center, vibing to a medley of upbeat throwback musical and dance numbers in a routine organized by No Empty Seats, a student-led organization focused on mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Moments after club members passed around motivational wristbands and stickers and offered congratulations on tackling final exams, they spontaneously burst into dance and song. 

“It was cool, because a lot of the performers were really, really nervous but they wanted to put themselves out of their comfort zones and check off a bucket list item — and they did,” said junior Michael OuYang, founding president of No Empty Seats. “I’m so happy that everyone got involved.” 

OuYang and fellow junior Mia Pridgen — a member of both No Empty Seats and Fusion Dance Company — organized and choreographed the flash mob, which kicked off with early 2000s pop hits by Lil Mama, Beyoncé and Destiny’s Child and culminated in “We’re All In This Together” from “High School Musical.” 

“ Dancing and bringing joy to people is always something that I love to do. Being able to do that and having the ability to talk about mental health is really important to me. ”

Mia Pridgen Class of 2026 and member of No Empty Seats

Even though passersby on the green were unaware, OuYang and Pridgen said the act of joyful spontaneity required substantial coordination. 

The organizers led in-person choreography workshops on campus over the last several weeks and circulated video tutorials ahead of time to make participation more accessible. 

The organizers also kept a close eye on the weather forecast amid days of unpredictable rain showers in that threatened to dampen the performance. But on Wednesday afternoon, clouds parted and students gathered in the sunshine to soak in the spectacle. 

“We were a little stressed with the weather, but today worked out perfectly,” OuYang said. “It was a great way to kick off finals period.” 

No Empty Seats organized a similar flash mob in 2023, advancing its mission to make talking about mental health more fun and less stigmatized by hosting joyous events on campus and inspiring random acts of kindness. 

“Dancing and bringing joy to people is always something that I love to do,” Pridgen said. “Being able to do that and having the ability to talk about mental health is really important to me.” 

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Campus Life Clubs and Organizations Health and Wellness

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