A sea of red frills blowing in the wind, accompanied by the sounds of Kate Bush’s 1978 classic hit song Wuthering Heights, will take over Haig Park in Braddon on Saturday 29 July, with locals congregating for The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever Canberra.
Ten years on from Shambush’s The Ultimate Kate Bush Experience as part of the Brighton Fringe Festival, it soon became a global annual event and was rebadged as The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever in 2016 by Samantha Wareing in Berlin. While the original event was an unofficial world record attempt to get as many Kate Bushes in one space as possible, the annual event aim to help charities.
“People got really inspired by the idea of dancing in community outside celebrating such a wonderful, wacky, iconic song and a really beautiful piece of interpretive dance. It’s just taken off organically,” says Brooke Thomas, organiser of the local event.
The Canberra community recreates the iconic interpretive dance moves for the seventh year, after receiving the blessing from global organisers back in 2017. This year, they are taking over Haig Park with the support of the City Renewal Authority and Canberra Dance Theatre (CDT), who have been providing rehearsal space.
“I teach a basic version of that choreography and it’s a really lovely time of community building, I have a real focus on making the dance really accessible and inclusive. So, you don’t have to have any experience as a dancer to participate and absolutely anybody is welcome,” Ms Thomas says.
Each Sunday before the big day there will be rehearsals, with details available on the group’s Facebook page. There are also easy-to-follow videos, if you want to practise at home.
On 29 July, the day before Kate Bush’s birthday and the actual day of Ms Thomas’s, a warm-up to Kate Bush’s Rubberband Girl and speeches will get everyone prepared for the wuthering. With around 130 people attending the day in 2022, Ms Thomas is hoping they can reach that number again.
Although participation is free with the support of the City Renewal Authority and CDT, people are encouraged to make a donation to the Domestic Violence Crisis Service (DVCS) ACT through an online platform.
“Also, to ask their friends, family and supporters to donate, partly to show support for these participants doing a real brave thing which is doing interpretive dance in public in Canberra in the middle of winter,” says Ms Thomas.
She says organisers are proud of the support they have been able to provide those who need the DVCS support services. One year, the event raised nearly $10,000, and survivors have joined in the dance in the past. This year, DVCS ACT CEO Sue Webeck will launch the event.
What do you need to do? Wearing a red dress like the one worn in the film clip is encouraged, otherwise, grab your best red outfit and head on down, join the dance – or just watch. Everyone is welcome. With many four-legged friends coming along in previous years, pooches are invited to put on their best red outfit and hit the park for a Hounds of Love parade.
“No dogs generally dancing, they can just wear their cute little costumes,” says Ms Thomas. “We have a number of people who show up year after year with their dogs all dressed up, one of those being local literary celebrity Daniel O’Malley. He has shown up with his gorgeous little westie, Sally O’Malley.”
After the dancing, organisers are encouraging participants to support the local economy and book a brunch around Haig Park. The event is about community helping those who need it and connecting with one another.
“I think people just really buy into the joy of it. It always has such a sense of joy and community spirit, which is why I’ll keep running the event and why people show up year after year … I just really, really love community dance for bringing people together for joy and expression and to meet people and to move your bodies. Your dance is so good for you,” smiles Ms Thomas.
Throw on your best red frills and head to The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever Canberra at Haig Park, Saturday 29 July 10am for a 10.30am start. More details via Facebook.
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