Kate Bush fans red-dy for action as Wuthering Heights celebration goes global

Out on the wiley, windy moors - or at least in city parks around the world - thousands of people have been dancing in billowing red dresses. They were performing to pay homage to singer Kate Bush by recreating her famous video for 1970s hit single Wuthering Heights. The flash mob events were being held in 21 cities around the world, starting in New Zealand and Australia but with others planned in Berlin, Oslo, Montreal, Tel Aviv, Amsterdam and Copenhagen later in the day. Organisers say the Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever is no more than a bit of fun intended to salute the enigmatic star, her eccentric dancing and her musical pean to Emily Bronte’s tale of doomed love.

I was 17 years old and I saw a clip on Top of the Pops and I was like, ‘Who is this?’ and then serendipitously I was studying Wuthering Heights a couple of weeks later. I got this Kate overload straight away, which made me quite obsessed, and have been a fan ever since

Kate Bush obsessive Kristian Fletcher, who led the event in Brisbane

The event began in Brighton, England in 2013 and has been gaining traction elsewhere since. In Melbourne, dancers adhered to the fashion in the video by wearing red frocks, red stockings and a black belt. They were soon swaying to the music, recreating dance moves dubbed “greedy face”, “serving plates”, “zombie”, “horror hands” and “sexy Kate”. In Christchurch, New Zealand, hundreds gathered at a spot known as the red zone, where houses have been cleared following the earthquake in the city. Organiser Suki Hickling said: “The red zone was once full of life and now it’s not quite dead and it’s not quite alive – it’s in-between, and that makes it right for Wuthering Heights.”

I’ve lived with it for a few weeks but usually I’m into more urban music – hip-hop, reggae, rap

Organiser Suki Hickling’s partner Malik Ricks, who led the dancers in Christchurch

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