Dealing with the loss of a loved one is a difficult process, and although taking a dancing tour around the streets of Liverpool is not an obvious remedy, that is how some people are learning to cope.
Alan Cross is the organiser who is taking the lead in Liverpool’s newest city tour, a walking silent disco.
The 50-minute journey has heads turning, with onlookers intrigued by the crowd of dancing strangers… moving to music that is only audible to themselves via headphones.
Mr Cross, who runs Silent Adventures, told JMU Journalism: “I can’t take full credit for the idea. My friend in Scotland, a pilot and former DJ, had been intrigued with the technology surrounding silent discos for some time and after seeing a show at the Edinburgh Fringe that utilised it, he approached me to bring Silent Adventures to life.
“He chose Liverpool as the flagship because of its vibrancy and musical heritage.
“Unless you’ve experienced it, it’s pretty difficult to describe what a Silent Adventure is. It is a silent disco – a tour without information being imparted. It is a series of flash mobs, but most of all, it’s a lot of fun.”
YouTube (2016): Liverpool Libraries and Information Services
After losing her mother earlier this year, Helen Bamford-Wakefield said Silent Adventures has helped with her healing process.
She told JMU Journalism: “It’s was very helpful with my grief and I haven’t felt that happy in ages. It pushes people’s boundaries, but I would encourage even the shyest person to give it a go.”
The 107.2 FM radio presenter added: “The sense of euphoria that Alan creates is just magical… I actually cried at a few points. With the headphones on you are just in another world where all your worries just slip away.”
The adventures start and finish at ‘Tavern on The Green’ at Liverpool One, with tours running every Saturday at 3pm throughout the whole of October. There are also upcoming special adventures such as Halloween themes, featuring classic songs such as Thriller and Ghostbusters.
The tour helps bring people together using the city’s well-known love of music. Mr Cross added: “Just the other day, dancing up Lord Street to ‘Time of My Life’, we chose a guy having a cigarette outside a shop as our Patrick Swayze, and he went for it.
“Everyone on Lord Street was smiling, laughing, and taking our photos. We really do leave a lot of smiles in our wake.”