‘Zombie Moms’ dance every Halloween to raise money for cancer research

Dancing zombies will arise in Fairfield, Connecticut, this Halloween. But, residents aren’t anxious or scared of the impending invasion. That’s because these aren’t your typical zombies; they are the MOMbies.

The neighborhood looks forward to the MOMbies’ arrival every Halloween, because this creepy crew knows how to bring the beat to the street.

This growing group of moms who dress up like zombies and dance in the street started in 2016 as a fun escape from their busy parenting lives. However, over the past seven years, MOMbies has grown into a movement with meaning.

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If the term seems familiar, it’s because “mombie” also refers to a mom raising children who, well, looks like a zombie, thanks to lack of sleep and fun.

The quest for fun sparked Terry Davis’ imagination in 2016 to do something outrageous.

“It all began with a simple question,” Davis said on the MOMbies website. “What happened to our spirit of play?”

The answer came to Davis as a spooky flash mob for the neighborhood kids during trick-or-treating. Davis invited a group of moms to several secret dance rehearsals, which were explained to the kids as a mix of “Zumba sessions, girls’ nights out and book club meetings.”

On Halloween night, the neighborhood got quite the surprise when the MOMbies emerged out of the darkness and performed their version of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” dance.

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The crowd’s reaction proved the MOMbie idea was a hit. But this talented group of spooky moms knew they wanted to do more with their talents.

The MOMbies expanded their performances to Dance-to-Donate projects to raise money for The Cancer Couch Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by a fellow MOMbie that helps fund metastatic breast cancer research.

Their message is spreading across social media, too. Several of their rehearsal and performance videos have gone viral as people share these funky moms’ moves.

Since they first strutted their stuff in 2016, the MOMbies have raised more than $170,000, and there’s no sign of them slowing down.

“Amidst our shared laughter and the grace of imperfect steps, we help make a difference for those living with breast cancer,” Davis shared on the group’s website. “The response was beyond our expectations. Our dance truly made a difference.”