This video was produced by Audrey Leon for her “Backpack Reporting” class at DePaul University on Nov. 12, 2009, about the Chicago guerilla dance group, Dance Now Chicago.

The story is included below:

One twenty-something dance lover is testing the limits of social networking Web sites in an effort to promote her guerilla dance parties all around the Chicagoland area.

Dance Now Chicago is a guerilla dance group created by 25-year-old Columbia College graduate Jenna Deidel. The group uses social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Word Press and Vimeo to publicize its events in hopes of getting other dance lovers to come out and play.

“We put out this idea of like ‘Hey, if you want to show up here with this song on some tool that everybody has like an iPod then you can go ahead and come dance with us’,” Deidel said.

Dance Now Chicago’s motto is simple: One Song plus One City plus One Location equals Everyone Dances. All potential dancers need to do is download the assigned song, get directions to the assigned location and dance.

Phil Brooks, 25, was one dancer who braved the wet Chicago weather on Oct. 29, 2009, for Dance Now Chicago’s second event, a dance set to Michael Jackson’ “Thriller” on the Hamlin Park basketball courts.

Brooks came for three important reasons. “It’s Michael Jackson, one; It’s “Thriller,” two, and dancing is amazing,” Brooks said.

Christina Merrill, decked out in her zombie-like best complete with pancake makeup and fake blood, also found out about Dance Now Chicago’s “Thriller” event through Deidel’s internet promotions.

“She’s been promoting online and I’ve been really excited about it,” Merrill said. “I get to dress up like a zombie and do some dancing and just hang out with some fun people.”

While turnout has been low among dance-loving Chicagoans, Deidel is not discouraged about Dance NOW Chicago’s future. “This was just our second dance,” Deidel said. “It would be awesome if like 100 people came but if that never happens that’s totally OK.”

For Deidel, Dance Now Chicago is simply a fun experiment.

“I like the process of the same idea repeated over and over to see what the outcome is and at the very least I’ll have a collection of these short videos in Chicago,” she said.

Dance NOW Chicago’s next guerilla dance party on Nov. 18, will have rush hour commuter’s turning their heads as dancers converge on State and Lake.

“The next one we’re going to do, I want to do one in a cross-walk, so we’re going to do ‘Dancing in the Streets,’” Deidel said.

Deidel and friends will strut their stuff beginning at 6:45 p.m. sharp. If you dare to participate be prepared to have some serious fun and do not forget to bring your mp3 player.

“One and One equals two. Dancing and fun equals awesomeness and that’s all there is too it,” Brooks said.

For more information, please consult DanceNowChicago.Wordpress.com or DanceNowChicago’s Vimeo Web site.