By Samantha Swindler / Managing Editor

Joseph Cross plans on thrilling the Tri-County this Halloween — and you’re invited to join him. 

Cross, a 17-year-old Knox Central High School senior, was selected to play the lead in a community-wide “Thriller” dance Halloween night. 

Cross will play the part of Michael Jackson — but he’s looking for a few good zombies to back him up. 

Jackson’s groundbreaking music video for “Thriller” features a horde of the dancing undead. During a community reenactment of the “Thriller” video on Corbin’s Main Street this Halloween, everyone is invited to play the part of a dancing zombie. 

If you don’t know the dance, free, hour-long “Thriller” dance classes will be from 7:30-8:30 p.m. starting this Wednesday, continuing every Wednesday through Oct. 28. Classes are taught by area color guard and dance instructor Nicole Younger, and are for all ages (not just teenagers). Classes are not auditions, and you do not have to attend all dance classes to participate at Halloween. The classes are simply to make anyone in the community comfortable enough to perform the dance in public on Halloween night. 

All classes will be at the Corbin High School cafeteria, with the exception of the Oct. 14 rehearsal, during fall break, to be held at the Tourism Community Room on Depot Street. Classes will teach the dance steps in three sections — Part I on Sept. 16 and Oct. 7, Part II on Sept. 23 and Oct. 14, and Part III on Sept. 30 and Oct. 21. The Wednesday before Halloween, Oct. 28, will be a final review of the entire routine and will include make-up tips on how to get that “undead zombie” look. 

The “Thriller” performance will take place at dark (around 7 p.m.) Saturday, Oct. 31 at Main and Monroe streets. The dance will end at Nibroc Park, followed by live music by local musicians at 7:30 p.m. in the park. 

Cross, who’s a veteran member of the Knox County High School drama department, will be starring this fall in the school’s production of “The Dinner Club,” and hopes to be an actor or singer after graduation. 

“I’ve been singing since I was very little, and I’ve been acting since fifth grade,” Cross said.

Cross learned about the Sept. 2 Jackson auditions through his drama teacher, Cathy Rhoden, who planned for all her drama students to take part in the zombie dance. She encouraged Cross to audition for the lead. 

Cross is too young to remember the 1983 premier for the 14-minute “Thriller” music video  — in fact, he didn’t see it until this year. 

“The first time I actually watched it was about five months ago on VH1,” Cross said. “I just happened upon it and realized what it was and I had heard so much about it and how great a video it was... and I was far from disappointed.”

Like many kids, Cross was captivated by Jackson’s dance moves at a young age. He said he was about six years old when he watched the “Back to the Future” movies and tried to imitate Marty McFly’s moonwalk. 

“As soon as I saw that, I had to try it, and it pretty much sparked my interest in Michael Jackson,” he said. “...His style really revolutionized the music industry, as far as videos and choreography. I know that when he started with the Jackson 5, he was really the main performer and almost stole the show, and once he went solo, he was a household icon .... He was a huge inspiration to so many people, and I think that even more so with his passing, people are trying to remember him.”

“Thriller” is the best-selling album of all time. A copy of it has been preserved by the U.S. Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry as it was deemed “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” For more information on the “Thriller” performance, contact Samantha Swindler at 528-2464, ext. 37.