PEOPLE walking around Fremantle in early August may feel they’ve been transported to a windy 19th century Yorkshire moor as part of the ninth annual Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever.
Started in Berlin, MWHDE is a tribute to the classic 1978 song by English singer-songwriter Kate Bush and the iconic literature by Emily Bronte that inspired the hit.
It’s held every year as close to the singer’s birthday as possible, which is July 30, but will be celebrated in Freo on Saturday, August 3.
• A sea of red: Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever is popular around the world.
Freo’s iteration MWHDE will be in the form of a flash mob travelling between landmarks and performing the iconic dance to Kate Bush’s song, in distinct red dresses to mirror the costume worn by the singer in the Wuthering Heights music video.
The destructive and passionate love between Cathy and Heathcliffe on the moody Yorkshire Moors that is embodied in Kate Bush’s song will be reflected in the pine trees of Freo’s Esplanade Park, Walyalup Koort, Pioneer Park, and finally at the windswept boardwalk at Bathers Beach.
Organiser Richelle Spencer, who is a Tribal Bellydance teacher in Freo, says the dance “is all about breaking societal norms”.
• Local Kate Bush fans will dance at various locations around Freo, including the Bathers Beach boardwalk.
“There’s nothing more incredible than walking through the streets of Fremantle wearing red dresses and wearing red things, and people just asking, ‘What are you doing?’ and we’ll reply, ‘we’re celebrating Kate Bush’s birthday!’,” Ms Spencer said.
“It allows people to actually have fun, because quite often people get frowned upon for doing expressive dance.
“We’re encouraging people to do that, because when we do, it allows ourselves to be more free, and you just tap into all those inner emotions, and let all of those inner feelings out.
“It’s contagious in the sense that you’re allowing that sense of joy, that sense of happiness, that sense of freedom within the dance.”
Women, men, and children are invited to revel in the dramatic dance of Wuthering Heights and Kate Bush, the specific choreography of which Ms Spencer will lead on the day.
“It’s bringing the art to life in Freo, and it’s free,” Ms Spencer said.
“Some of the women who have danced with us have said to me, ‘oh my god, there’ll be people watching us’, and you just have to think ‘well, they’re not joining us, but they’d be better off dancing with us’.
“We encourage people to go to op shops and get their red dresses too.”
by KATHERINE KRAAYVANGER