activist theatre: velovixens

Since arriving in Canada, I've been aching to hit the road on my bike with panniers full of camping goodness. All roads leading out of Vancouver beckoned with promises of beautiful scenery and adventures on the road. To the east, roads wound their way through thick coastal forest and up into the silvery, snow-capped mountains. Beyond the mountains lay the rugged prairies. The coastal mountain range, lakes, inlets of the Sunshine Coast were just north west of Vancouver, while the rolling hills, rainforests, old growth forests (well, what was left of them!), and scenic coastal lines of Vancouver island were just a short ferry ride from south Vancouver... so many choices! what to do?

But when I heard about Victoria's 2009 Bike Prom, my decision was made. Who could resist an event that not only celebrates bikes, but promises to lure you back to the wonders of your high school graduation. hmmmm I was a tad curious....

So my plan evolved into a month of cycling up Vancouver Island and back down the Sunshine coast to arrive back in Vancouver around the beginning of June. But first stop: Bike Prom!

Bike Prom is an annual event hosted by bike-loving extraordinaires in Victoria - a city on the southern most tip of Vancouver island, the capital of British Columbia.

Held over three days, the event included bike races, art shows, moonlight mystery rides, bike polo games, bike films, and culminated in a massive masquerade-themed ball that seemed suspiciously similar to my high school prom (or 'formal' as we'd call it in Australia) only on bikes. One highlight of the evening was the pre-ball mystery ride which saw over 60 dressed-up cyclists weave their way through the streets of Victoria, whizz along the southern coastline of the island and scamper up a small hill to watch the sun go down where we were serenaded by local gypsy band Orkestar Slivovica.

Another highlight of the evening was seeing a performance by the Velovixens - a local bike-themed physical theatre group. Using theatre, dance, music, and imagery, they performed a simple yet effective and provocative piece called the 'rat race', which provided commentary on society's obsession with materialism. With an astounding stage presence, these girls were an absolute hit with the audience who cheered and screamed wildly when they finished their number. It was so clear that the performers were enjoying every minute of being on stage and this enthusiasm, fun, energy and focus trickled back to the audience. We felt it. And that's what the Velovixens are about. They aren't interested in producing slick, polished high end art; they're out to have fun, with a mind to educate and inform their audiences about varying 'sustainability' issues as they perform.

And so this was my introduction to Victoria. A sneak peak into the bike/art/activist scene. Quite a fun scene too.