‘Flash mobs’ for survivors of flash floods

Nearly 200 people get together to show off their newly-acquired groove.

KARACHI: An eventful Saturday it was for those who participated in the ‘Dance for a Cause’ event that took place at the Indus Valley School of Arts and Architecture (IVSAA) Saturday. The event that was organised by ActOne Centre for Arts and Wellness in collaboration with Rahnuma, Rotaract Club Clifton and IVSAA, aimed at raising funds for flood-affected children to provide them with sporting goods and art material.

Indus Valley came alive, on a somewhat pleasant afternoon, with cheers and claps from the participants who practiced for a good two hours before they were ready to give a ‘flash mob’ performance. The 200 odd dance enthusiasts were divided and placed into three different rooms where ActOne instructors made them repeatedly practice a routine to the Black Eyed Peas’ The Time (Dirty Bit) which was later on performed in front of the guests in the evening.

Hasan Amin, part owner of ActOne, said he and his team had wanted to do a flash mob for a long time and this was a great opportunity for “people to come together” and make it happen. Amin explained that ActOne had been in touch with organisations such as Rahnuma and Rotaract Clifton for some time and they decided to conduct an event that would not only raise the much-needed funds for the victims of the flood but at the same time help them “create history” by pulling off such a performance on such a large scale for the first time in the country. A sneak preview of the flash mob was witnessed when the team at ActOne surprised unsuspecting shoppers at The Forum mall the day before by suddenly forming a group in the middle of the mall and giving a dance performance.

Once the practice sessions were over, the event moved to the campus ground, where all the participants, who seemed to be mostly students and fresh graduates with a few older faces here and there, came together and displayed their learning of the day, thrice - and all three times with more vigour than in the previous one.

The performance throughout was hosted Hazan Danish, co-owner of ActOne, who was successful in maintaining high spirits in the crowd that may have been otherwise tired out after hours of practice.

Tickets to the event were priced at Rs400 per participant, and although it was not yet clear how much was raised from this unique event, Amin said “if we raise anything at all” it would be something as “there are still many people, who were affected by the floods, in need of help.” He also said that looking at the success of the event, they would probably conduct more flash mobs in other locations around the city.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 13^th, 2011.