Ever wondered what it feels like to get harangued by a mob? Hundreds of Dunedinites found out on Saturday March 25, when members of dance crews from across the city hosted one of the most magnanimous flash mobs in Dunedin’s history. Over 100 people engaged in the mob at various points as it progressed slowly from Meridian Mall to the newly renovated area of George Street.
To get the wrap on the event, Critic Te Ārohi had a chat to Xzenia Witehira, the choreographer and organiser of the event. She said that the event erupted onto the scene when one of their dancers gallivanted down the escalator singing loudly, to the amazement of bemused spectators. This is when Xzenia and one other entered the fold, giving spectators the sense that the event was a small-scale affair. Then the mob of 20 unveiled itself, drawing eyes and ears to the bottom floor of the mall.
Though this would’ve been an impressive enough feat in itself, Witehira told Critic Te Ārohi, “We wanted to bring joy to the streets…so we moved around to show off all of our dancers.” By “all of our” dancers, Witehira was referring to the several schools of dance from around the city which combined to create the mob. The Otago Nugget dancers made up the core group, but RASA School of Dance, Bennet’s School of Ballet, and several other crews chipped in to make the event so special. Mickey Waddell, Vice President of the University’s dance crew, mused that it was the “first time really that a number of different crews have come together.” Summing up the vibe, Witehira called it an “invite your friends kind of event, based on the idea that everyone has their own style.”
Witehira’s statements could thus be interpreted as a form of encouragement for a spiritually impoverished student body looking to express themselves and soak up what Mickey called the “good community vibes” that were inherent to the mob. When questioned on the possibility of students getting involved, Witehira called back to a time when a lecturer at the University would hire her crew to perform a flash mob in the middle of a lecture, in order to “cheer everyone up before exams.”
With mountains of positive feedback and a unification of the dance crews from around Otago, Witehira assured Critic Te Ārohi that more would be coming. She even hinted at a project which would get the timid students of the Zoo back up on their feet, though she didn’t give too much away.
The flash mob that occurred last Saturday has set a precedent. It brought joy to the Dunedin community in a time of need and unified the dance crews from around the city which up until this point had been fractured by seeds of hate and resentment. An irrevocable change in the dance community has occurred, leaving students and Dunedinites with only one burning question to ask: What’s next?