Melbourne’s “Flash Mob” Rock & Roll Dance – Yes, we did it today! As if like following the biblical commandment, we faithfully went forth to four corners of the CBD to sow some rock & roll seeds in Melbourne. And who knows, one day we may yet reap the harvest of our labour to bring forth more rock & rollers to the world.

Having followed the weather forecast during the week, I was feeling apprehensive that rain might dampen our flash dance. Oh, ye man of little faith – fear not, because the weather gods are with us today and we had a bright, sunny day! We, a group of 50 to 60 dancers representing a good cross section of younger and more mature dancers, met up at the Southern Cross train station as planned. Erin, the young journalist student from RMIT was already there to report on the flash dance. The TV stations, radios and mainstream print media might be hiding in a corner somewhere but just in case, we had our resident video operator and a number of photographers to the rescue.

A quick sound check of my CD player – and horror of horrors! The street noise at the train station was a lot louder than I expected. But we soldiered on irrespective. At the appointed time, music (Straycat’s Summertime Blues) was played and Joceb & Charles got the ball rolling with the rest joining in concert. I had planned to have just one dance there anticipating train security personnel to move us on but ended dancing to 3 songs. We felt triumphant after that!

Moving a further 20 meters down the station, we gathered at the steps to have our group photo taken before embarking on another couple of dances. Then it was off to Bourke Street Mall in front of the GPO. There was a substantially much bigger lunch time crowd there. The crowd was appreciative and I could see some of them reaching for their cameras and mobile phones to capture what we were doing. It felt great to be appreciated!

Federation Square – the next destination in our conquest to capture the hearts of the unconverted rock & roll public. If Bourke Street Mall was crowded, imagine the Federation Square as representing a Grand Final day at the MCG! There were people, people everywhere as we search for a spot to do our flash dance. Again, we did 2 dances before setting off to the Holy Grail – under the clocks at Flinders Street Station. All the dancers by now were pumped for one last effort. I believe it was our best dance there. The atmosphere was good and again the crowd was appreciative. Cameras and mobile phones were rolling and some of the younger ones even joined us, jiggling amongst the dancers. It felt really good when we finished and there was clapping and shouting in triumph knowing that we have finally made history in Melbourne – doing the first rock & roll flash mob dance here.

Some of us journeyed on to Young & Jackson as planned, and Straight 8s were already playing to a big crowd there. But no one was dancing to the music until the flash mob dancers arrived. We immediately hit the dance floor and I am sure to the amazement of the crowd there. Alas! We had another “flash mob” dance experience at Young & Jackson. For those who haven’t been to Young & Jackson – well, it has a great atmosphere & felt cosy inside. Pity only a carpet dance floor but today, Straight 8s were pumping out those raw, southern rockabilly tunes that we dancers love so much. Indeed, Straight 8s added much to our already wonderful day of flash mob dancing in Melbourne.

Flash mob videos and photos coming soon. In the meantime, anyone for the next round of flash mob dancing in Melbourne?