“Einstein on the Beach” Flashmob (October 2012)— In honor of the legendary opera Einstein on the Beach, The Defiance Project facilitated a flashmob that took place on UC Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza. Various participants in the flashmob gathered for rehearsals and learned the choreography inspired by Lucinda Childs’ work in Einstein. This piece explored postmodern concepts of dance, musical embodiment, the power of gesture, and the union of pedestrian movement with stylized choreography. In true flashmob form, theEinstein piece was performed spontaneously in UC Berkeley’s most highly populated public place and attracted attention from passersby. Because the flashmob occurred the day of Einstein on the Beach’s dress rehearsal, the performers of the opera were able to participate as audience members which make doing the flashmob an incredible treat. This performance would not have been possible without the support of Rio Vander Stahl and the entire Cal Performances team.

Photos and video coming soon!