The most Wuthering Heights day ever
The uplifting day of dance hoping to find a long-term home on the Meadows
If you’re on the Meadows in early June and keep thinking you see the legendary pop star Kate Bush, it’s not just your imagination. You're not seeing double.
On Saturday, 7 June, a multitude – as many as 600 – Kate Bush lookalikes will be taking to the field to re-enact the iconic 1978 performance of the artist’s debut song Wuthering Heights in all its dramatic, theatrical glory.
The event is part of a worldwide movement known as The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever, with performances taking place everywhere from the UK and Ireland to France, Germany, Croatia, Sweden and Denmark, and as far afield as Israel, Australia, Canada, Mexico and the US.
The driving force behind the capital’s extravaganza is Australian-born youth project manager Elspeth Spalding, who organises performance dates and locations. She even offers choreographed training videos for participants who want to perfect their moves before the big show.
A super-fan of the singer and the quirky event, she founded Edinburgh’s Wuthering Heights Day in 2020 after previously taking part in Australian and Irish versions and “absolutely loving” the experience.
“I had moved to Melbourne, where I first heard about it – and thought, why not? I’ve always been someone who enjoys doing things that are a little bit outside of the box,” she says.
“So I took myself and my daughter along. We got dressed up and there were 600 of us. It was the most fun experience I’d had in a long time.
“We just got to dance and participate together. The most lovely part of that was the great feeling of community, of everyone coming together to just move with a lot of joy.”
That was in 2017. She loved it so much she took part again the following year in Dublin during a brief spell living there.
It was only natural then that she searched for a local branch after moving to Edinburgh in 2019. However, it turned out there wasn’t one.
So there was nothing for it but to set it up herself, and it has been growing ever since.
“When I moved to Edinburgh I put feelers out to see if the event was happening but found out it had never existed here. I was gobsmacked, because Edinburgh is such a cultural melting point of events, festivals and things that are very eclectic.
“So I thought, well, why not start it here, and see if there is some interest. And it has been going strong ever since.”
Many of those taking part are “just people who love Kate Bush” but there is “more to it” than that, she says.
“We find that she is such an eccentric performer, she is unapologeticly herself and has a great way of interpreting really unusual things into different kinds of art forms.
“It’s like an appreciation, a homage to celebrate her work. For me, it is a way to do that. I think the dance is quite cool and a little bit different, so to learn that and then be able to perform it as a mass group really interested me.
“Aside from that, you just feel complete joy and happiness doing it all together because the moves are quite crazy. You feel a bit weird doing it but it’s just such super fun.”
And she is among a growing band of folk taking part year after year across the globe.
Previous Edinburgh participants say it’s all about joy and a feeling of togetherness.
Jan, a lifelong fan of the quirky songstress, says: “When you look out and all you can see are dozens and dozens of people all dressed as Kate Bush and dancing to Wuthering Heights it’s a remarkable and memorable sight. I’m so glad to have been part of it.”
Marie, who lives in Dundee, travelled to Edinburgh especially for a performance.
“I dressed in red, practised the dance with hundreds of others and felt completely exhilarated.
“I was on my own, but lots of people spoke to me and made me feel very welcome. I loved it so much that I brought a friend the following year. She loved it too, even though we did it in the rain.”
Craig even donned a frock to join in.
“The Most Wuthering heights Day Ever is like nothing I have ever experienced,” he says.
“I didn’t know what to expect as a bearded man, showing up dressed like Kate Bush. But when I realised I was definitely not alone, it just added to the fun of the day. It really does cater for everyone.”
George says: “What I really enjoyed about it was the joyous sense of community. It takes a certain kind of person to want to frolic in a field dressed like Kate Bush – a bunch of eccentric people celebrating a wonderfully British icon.”
Spalding is currently busy getting ready for the event, which she hopes will become an annual fixture at the Meadows Festival.
She will perform in the same floaty red dress and matching tights she always wears for the occassion when she takes to the Meadows in June.
And she is encouraging anyone who would like to join in to sign up as soon as possible.
“It’s the type of event that is for everyone,” she insists.
“It doesn’t matter your age or stage in life, everyone can come along and join in what is a really happy, fun event. You will meet lots of other Kate Bush fans as well, and feel a part of something that’s bigger than you.
“Also, the visual of being able to see a sea of red, when everyone is dressed up, that‘s like one of the coolest sights you’ll ever see. You get to be standing in that and be a part of.
“If you are someone who just likes to move and dance with people, it’s a great way to come together and to celebrate.
“My favourite part is at the very end. We do the dance together, which is lovely, and then there is a good 60 seconds of the outro of the song, when we just tell everyone to do their own interpretive dance. It’s super, super fun, because you might know a few people there or you might know nobody, and all of a sudden there is a collective of people dancing together freestyle. It’s an experience that is hard to describe.”
For the choreography, the group will copy Kate’s dance moves with a few minor adaptations to make it “a little bit easier” and slightly less acrobatic.
“We have a tutorial video on our Facebook page which you can watch and you can mirror that. It takes you through the moves slowly so you can practice. We also host a couple of in-person rehearsals in the lead-up to the event.”
But she assures us it’s not necessary to do any training in advance.
“If you don’t know the dance at all before the day it doesn’t matter. I think one of the most important things is to come and make it your own. So even if you don’t know the steps you can still come along and join in and have a great time.”
The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever will be part of the programme of entertainment on 7 June at this year’s Meadows Festival. This year’s event also marks Kate Bush’s 67th birthday. She wrote the iconic track when she was 18 and recorded it aged 19 after watching a BBC miniseries of Wuthering Heights. All pictures courtesy of SheClicks photography.
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