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Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Cathies come home to dance in Octagon
Jonny Goldsmith usually spends his Saturday mornings with his head under a car bonnet, covered in grease, trying to get his beloved "old dunger" restoration project up and running again. Jonny Goldsmith dresses up for charity at the Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever, in Dunedin's Octagon on Saturday. PHOTOS: PETER MCINTOSH But the 46-year-old Port Chalmers man decided to do something quite different to that at the weekend, donning a red dress to celebrate the Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever, in Dunedin's Octagon instead. He was one of about 70 people at the event, which was founded by British group Shambush, and invites participants to re-create the music video for musician Kate Bush's 1978 song Wuthering Heights as a way to raise funds. The event is held globally every year, as close to Kate Bush's birthday (on July 30) as possible, and Dunedin is always the first city in the world to do it. "I'm a huge fan of Kate Bush, obviously, and my daughters did it one year and told me I should come along and watch." The next thing he knew, he was being slipped into a red dress and encouraged to dance. "It was a lot of fun, so I'm doing it again this year," he said. "It's a good chance to be doing something with my daughters, and it's a great way to support a local charity." About 70 people of all ages and genders participated in the Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever, in Dunedin's Octagon on Saturday. Dunedin city councillor and event organiser Mandy Mayhem said the annual event raised funds for Wellness, Empathy and Kindness Aotearoa (Weka), which provides support and positive change in physical, family, spiritual and mental wellbeing, through passion, knowledge and the use of simple and effective strategies. The organisation was established in response to people not being able to access mental health services at the level that they needed. The support includes group education sessions, one-to-one work, wellness recovery action plans, early warning sign triggers, information on anxiety and depression.
BBC News
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Wuthering Heights Day in Folkestone aims to spread joy
Over 1,000 people are expected to flock to Folkestone on Sunday for an annual dance tribute to Kate The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever, events across the UK see people wear wigs and red dresses to recreate the iconic music video for the 1978 hit Wuthering Cotton, one of the organisers, previously told BBC Radio Kent it was "something that everybody really enjoys."Dances have been scheduled at midday and 16:00 BST on The Harbour Arm. 'Glastonbury meets flash mob' The Folkestone event, now in its fifth year, is part of a global phenomenon inspired by a world record attempt from Brighton-based dance troupe Shambush! in 2013.A spokesperson from the Folkestone version, which began in 2018, has described it as "Glastonbury meets flash mob meets cult classic fandom"."When it came back after Covid, people really got involved and I think it was just the experience of doing something with a huge group of people - everybody enjoying the same moment together - that was really powerful," Mr Cotton have made an instructional dance video and are encouraging participants to learn it in song from Kate Bush, who grew up in Kent, was based on the novel of the same name by Emily Brontë, first published in 1847 under her pen name Ellis Bell.
Otago Daily Times
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Wuthering dance open to all
Red-clad dancers gather to celebrate a previous Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever community dance event in the Octagon. The popular event returns on July 26. PHOTO: MARTIN BUYCK A sea of red-clad dancers will fill the Octagon in the fun and flamboyant midwinter community dance event, the "Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever". The annual event, based around a flash mob re-creating Kate Bush's iconic 1978 song and dance, will be held from 11am next Saturday, July 26. Organised locally by Dunedin city councillor Mandy Mayhem, under the HeartCore umbrella, the free event will be the first and most southern of hundreds of Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever celebrations going on all over the world. The project was founded in 2013 by "Wuthermothers" — British performance group Shambush — and is facilitated globally by Berlin-based Samantha Wareing. Participants will come together in the lower Octagon at about 11am for a warm-up and a practice run-through of the main dance — guided by lead dancer Hannah Rouse and her team. At noon, the full Wuthering Heights dance flash mob will swing into action. Cr Mayhem said everyone was welcome to just turn up and take part in the Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever event — all that was needed was a red dress/outfit and some moves. The event will be accessible, with modified moves for all levels of participation — all ages, abilities and genders are welcome. There is no need to register, just turn up and join in. "We have red ribbons on sticks and pom-poms for those with limited mobility — it is all about participating and having fun," Cr Mayhem said. "We also have spare red clothes, including t-shirts and scarves, so there's no need to miss out if you don't have red clothes at home." The event will also raise funds for local mental health and wellbeing organisation Weka — Wellness, Empathy, Kindness Aotearoa.
