Wollongong Mall was not wild or windy on a sunny warm Saturday but it was a great location for some Kate Bush style Wuthering Heights.
Circus WOW’s call for women in the community to turn out wearing red saw dozens show up in billowing red frocks for a flash mob re-enactment of the official video for the popular 70’s song.
Many prepared by practicing their moves using a Shambush Instructional Dance Video on Youtube.
Dee Milenkovic went to an Op Shop on Friday and threw an outfit together. She wasn't sure if she would go through with it but felt so invigorated afterwards she wants to do it again. “I am on a mission to do new and unusual things. I just want to experience stuff and I am all about fun. And I thought this looked good”.
Circus WOW chair Fiona McKay said they were expecting about 20 women in red but had close to 50.
“It is better than we could have expected. The plan was to do it again in 12 months if it went well today and it did, ” she said,
After a couple of practices to warm up as people arrived it was time for the official run-through followed by announcement Circus WOW will host another “The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever” event in one year.
Circus WOW is a “Women Of Wollongong” community circus and the flash mob was about was making connections. Based at Switchfit Gym in Montague Street, Fairy Meadow the circus is coming up to its 18th year.
It runs a wide range of classes for women the involve fitness with fun. They include everything from aerial classes to stilt walking, performance and balance.
“And for women of all shapes, sizes and ages from 18 plus we have a new day time class called Tinaturnovers which is designed especially for women who may be a little less flexible or not as fit as they might like. They can come and get some gentle fitness and flexibility while having some play with circus,” Ms McKay said.
Saturday was part of an international Kate Bush inspired movement that started that has an big social media following. It all began in 2013 during a performance by UK artists Shambush who then took their flash mob act to greater heights in The Ultimate Kate Bush Experience. They gathered 300 Kate Bush impersonators and turned a Sussex park into wily, windy moors filled with some iconic Wuthering Heights inspired choreography.
The viral success of the YouTube video taken that day started resulted in many sister events around the globe called The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever. Berlin organiser and musician Sam Wareing came up with the name.
They have been held in Australian cities before but Saturday’s event was Wollongong’s first The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever.
Those taking part did not have to look like Kate Bush or be a dancer. The only prerequisite was a sense of play and adventure for what was a family friendly activity.
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Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
