The fifth annual Shimmy Mob is raising funds and awareness for women and children’s shelters across the world.

Shimmy Mob is an organized dance flash mob type event where dancers from around the world unite on the same day and dance to the same song, wearing the official Shimmy Mob event designated T-shirt and performing to the same choreography – all for the same awareness cause.

Shimmy for the Soul instructor, coordinator, and creative director Nicole Whitney is leading a team from Surrey on May 9.

The group of eight dancers signed up last minute to join the cause, but there are plans to continue and grow the event each year.

“We can only go up from here,” said Whitney.

She admits that it is a small group but believes that they can grow in the coming years.

The family friendly event is donating all funds to the Atira Women’s Resource Society.

Atira is a community-based organization that supports all women, and their children, who are experiencing the impact of violence committed against them and/or their children.

“I always had the intent to give back,” said Whitney, who said she had been in that position before.

Whitney started belly dancing on a dare from her daughter but it quickly turned into a second career.

“Within two years I was choreographing routines,” said Whitney. “It’s been weird, but a great weird.”

The group will perform at a “secret” location in Langley or Surrey May 9.

Langley Advance