FLOCK FlashMob

To celebrate Shab-e Yalda, on 22nd December 2011, we created a FlashMob / Pop Up Performance at The Sage Gateshead.

The work you can see is the conclusion of two sets of workshops; one set took place at Windmill Hill Community Centre, Gateshead, the other here, at The Sage Gateshead, with Mongrel UK.

At Windmill Hill Community Centre we discussed the meaning, themes and history of The Conference of the Birds. We explored how translation can change meaning, and that the beauty of poetry is often about the sound of the words as they are put together.

With Mongrel UK we also explored performance, using the themes and characters of The Conference of the Birds to play games, improvise and devise.

The poetry of both groups was created in a similar way; each person wrote two lines of poetry following the themes of The Conference of the Birds. The Windmill Hill Community Centre group wrote about love, in its many forms, spiritual and physical. Mongrel UK wrote about their experiences of finding family and friends within a community, and sharing their love of music, singing and performance.

MONGREL UK
Mongrel UK is an international ensemble of young people aged 14 - 21yrs based at The Sage Gateshead and is part of CoMusica, a Youth Music Action Zone providing music-making activities with and for young people who might not otherwise have the opportunity.

WINDMILL HILL COMMUNITY CENTRE
The Windmill Hill Community Centre offers a multi-cultural meeting and activity space for community groups and organisations across Gateshead. Performing today are a group of adults from the Iranian community.

SHAB-E YALDA
Shab-e Yalda is the Iranian Winter Solstice celebration. Traditionally people have small parties and eat the last remaining fresh fruits of the summer.

All poetry remains the copywriter of the author and may not be performed or reproduced without their written permission.