dance
07/31/2007
CPDRC: Behind the Music with the "'Thriller' Prison"
Since we last covered CPDRC, the Philippine prison where inmates perform "Thriller" and other eye-popping routines, public interest has skyrocketed. So we were very excited to find this video, which goes behind-the-scenes to explain the progressive but strict policies that go into running this state-of-the-art facility.
Don't go thinking this place is a candyass Shangri-La with about as much penal punch as theater camp. Jazz hands or no jazz hands, CPDRC runs a tight ship, with an absolutely-no-gangs policy, plus and an intricate system of guard teams that heads off personal politics and corruption at the pass by preventing inmate/guard familiarity. While job training and other programs keep the focus on the end goal of rehabilitation, make no mistake -- this is still hard core hard time.
But if you're just interested in the dance program, you can skip ahead to about 5:12 or so.
07/20/2007
Prison Inmates Perform "Thriller"
The 1500+ inmates of Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Cebu City, Philippines, do a lot more than just languish in a cell. They have livelihood programs and personal savings accounts, allowing them to earn and save money for legal fees or the families they left behind. Perhaps even more impressive is what they do with the rest of their time: rehearse and perform elaborate parades and dance numbers, like the recreation of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" seen here.
The choreography, the coordination, and the precision are insane. The Rockettes have nothing on these guys. And they don't just do Michael Jackson numbers -- there's stuff from "Sister Act", a Black Eyed Peas number, even something called "The Jumbo Hot Dog."
Watch these guys in action, and you'll realize those guys from "Oz" were just... lame.
