68. The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever in Dunedin
In which 115 'Kates' dressed in red dance their hearts out and have a good time
On or around July 30 (the birthday of both singer Kate Bush and author Emily Brontë), people in cities around the world dress in red, gather in public places, and dance to Kate Bush’s 1978 hit single, “Wuthering Heights”, emulating her moves from the video she released to promote the song. The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever began with a performance at the Brighton Fringe in 2013 and has been an annual global event since then.
It seems like a silly thing to do, and it is. I had heard about it before but never thought of attending (or taking part). This year, I read in our local newspaper that Mandy Mayhem, a colourful Dunedin city councillor, was organising the event as a fundraiser for WEKA — Wellness, Empathy, and Kindness Aotearoa, a local organisation promoting mental health and wellbeing. I thought it could be an effective way to brighten a cloudy, cool Saturday in the middle of winter and offer a visual spectacle worth documenting.
After practising the movements, the dancers, ranging in age from 4 months to 90 years, were ready for the main event. When the Dunedin Town Hall clock struck twelve and the music began to play, the civic centre became a rolling sea of red as 115 'Kates' swooped, spun, tilted, twirled, made wide, sweeping gestures, and struck dramatic poses. What the choreography lacked in precision, it made up for in spirit and enthusiasm. This was the first and most southern of the Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever events that took place this year. It was likely one of the most successful, too. You can see more of the photos I took at the Dunedin Wuthering here.
What’s next?
Yesterday, I walked through the Dunedin warehouse district. It’s nice and quiet on weekends, with very few cars or people getting in the way of the buildings. I saw some interesting compositions through the viewfinder but I haven’t checked them out on the computer yet. If they look interesting, I’ll share them.
What do you think?
I invite you to leave a comment below.
You had me at Kate Bush! But then I see we are fellow street photographers and that’s even better! Subscribed ❤️
Some great portraits Mark! The brave, the tentative and the joyful. Appreciate you capturing these Ōtepoti events.