Shoppers checking out the stores at Park Royal Sunday afternoon were in for a surprise as the floor quickly transformed into the site of an emotional dance performance.
More than 20 dancers dressed in white broke out a sweat to “Papaoutai – (Afro Soul)” at the West Vancouver mall to show humanity, unity and peace in response to ongoing global conflicts.
Lili Molavi, flash mob organizer and Zumba teacher, said the “ignite and unite” flash mob idea came after more than 30,000 people died during the January 8-9 protests in Iran.
“I grew up in the war and revolution and I felt the pain of all the mothers who have lost children,” said Molavi. “Also with the growing crisis in the Middle East, I feel like we all need to understand we are part of a big family, we need to come together.”
Molavi understands the feeling of leaving your home overnight. In her early 20s, she fled Iran and moved to North Vancouver, and has called it home ever since.
Sunday’s flash mob was inspired by Conference of the Birds, an ancient Persian story published in 1177 by Attar of Nishapur. The poem is about birds in search of a leader who can save the world. They travel through seven stages of transformation, but in the end only 30 birds reach the destination, realizing the leader they were searching for is themselves as a united group.
The choreography reflects the same journey.
“Dance is universal, so we can express our feelings, go beyond border, go beyond politics and say we are here,” said Molavi. “We are [the] voice of the voiceless … we are here to help.”
Near the end of the performance, Molavi and other dancers held a banner of a poem from Iranian poet Saadi Shirazi, written in both English and Farsi.
Molavi said the poem reminds us that “human beings are part of one body. When one part suffers, the whole body feels the pain.”
The poem is also on display at the United Nations building in New York City, showing the poem’s message is universal, she said.
“Papaoutai” was also an intentional choice, intertwining with the ancient story. The song asks the universal question of “where is guidance and protection,” Molavi said. The flash mob dancers were meant to represent birds calling out, not only for a father, but for wisdom, compassion and responsibility from humanity.
“It becomes a symbolic call to all nations, all communities and all people to ask – how can we protect the children of the world?” she said.
In January, a call out was sent to the Vancouver and North Shore Zumba communities to see who would be interested in being part of the flash mob. Karen Kobel, a Pilates instructor at Kahlena Movement Studio, helped piece the choreography together and lead rehearsals.
The hard work paid off, said Kobel.
“It’s so exciting to look up and to look up and see how many people are standing there taking in that experience with you.”
Lynda Sing was one of the many dancers who happily took part.
“It’s such a tragedy what’s happening all over the world with the different wars that are happening,” Sing said. “There’s so much that we can do if we come together peacefully and try to stand for humanity…. I’m really grateful that people came and saw us.
During the performance, shoppers stopped and watched the heartfelt performance, some clapping along while others became teary eyed.
For Molavi, it was hard not to get teary eyed too.
“It’s the presence of love,” she said. “It’s big emotions because this is what we need more in the world. We need more unity.”
She was pleased to give the crowd a welcome surpise as well as something to think about.
“[It was] a moment to pause and reflect on what’s going on around the world,” Molavi said. “It seems like they got the energy that we needed.”
Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
