Dundu, a giant illuminated puppet, dancing through a packed street at night beside Spark! drummers on glowing blue drums. Photo: Sarah Hickson
Dundu and Spark! · produced by Activate Performing Arts

Sense of Unity

A dusk and night-time parade bringing together two of Europe's most in-demand outdoor arts companies: Dundu from southern Germany and Spark! from the North East of England.

Coventry, 14 November Watch the trailer
Dundu bending low to touch faces with a Spark! drummer, the puppeteers holding the giant's rods, in front of a red-lit seafront terrace.Photo: John Cole
Saturday 14 November 2026 · Coventry Peace Festival

Coventry, on the night the city remembers

On 14 November 1940 the Blitz destroyed much of Coventry, its cathedral with it. The city's answer, in the years that followed, was reconciliation, and it has called itself a city of peace ever since.

Eighty-six years on, as the cathedral bells ring out to mark that night, a German company and an English company will walk through Coventry together, with a giant of light at the front and the city following on behind. We can't think of a show we would rather bring, or a place we would rather bring it.

The performance is free and starts in the early evening. Route and timings will be in the Peace Festival programme.

The show

A giant learns to walk, and a whole town walks with Dundu.

Sense of Unity is a dusk and night-time parade that moves through the streets with its audience. Dundu, a five-metre figure woven from strands of light, grows up in front of you, from first unsteady steps to full height, across three scenes along the route. The Spark! drummers carry Dundu there on a soundtrack of world rhythms and the West African kora.

It runs for 40 to 60 minutes and is made for city centres, open spaces and heritage sites, where crowds of 1,500 to 3,000 people walk the whole way with it.

Dundu reaching out over a Bournemouth square at night while the Spark! drummers play on illuminated drums below.Photo: Edgars Blumbergs
Ninety seconds of Sense of Unity

Watch the trailer

The Sense of Unity trailer, filmed on the 2017 tour. Video: Activate Performing Arts.

Baby Dundu leaping above a Spark! drummer's drum while the performer plays, lit blue, at Illuminate Oldham in 2017.Photo: Craig Shaw
Two companies, one show

A friendship across Europe

Dundu come from southern Germany. Their giants are built from fine strands of fibre woven into a transparent, flexible body, lit from within and brought to life by a team of five puppeteers. Co-founder Stefan Charisius plays the kora, and much of the magic happens in the space between his music and the puppet's movement.

Spark! come from the North East of England: illuminated drums, choreography and lighting design, and characters who play with the crowd as much as for it.

The two companies first made Sense of Unity together in 2017, with Activate Performing Arts producing and Bill Gee as creative director.

Where it has been

The story so far

  1. June 2017

    Newbury

    The premiere, in the town centre, after creation time at the Corn Exchange's 101 Outdoor Arts Creation Space.

  2. June 2017

    Bow, East London

    The very next night, along Roman Road for Greenwich & Docklands International Festival, finishing with fireworks on a housing estate.

  3. 2017 to 2018

    Watford, Brighton, Great Yarmouth, Hastings, Bournemouth and Blackpool

    A UK tour supported by Arts Council England. Around 16,500 people walked with the first eight shows.

  4. September 2021

    Weymouth

    Two nights through the town centre to the Jubilee Clock Tower for Inside Out Dorset.

  5. October 2021

    Milton Keynes

    City of Light festival, from Midsummer Place to the station, with bhangra from Eternal Taal along the way.

Pyrotechnic fountains erupting above Dundu and the Spark! drummers at the finale in Weymouth, the crowd filming on their phones.
The finale in Weymouth, Inside Out Dorset 2021
Photo: Roy Riley

More than one night

Sense of Unity reaches people before the parade arrives, as well as during it.

A Spark! drummer leading a community drumming workshop in a hall while Baby Dundu dances and families watch.Photo: Edgars Blumbergs

Workshops and local performers

Spark! can run a drumming workshop for up to 20 people on the day. Choirs, dancers and drummers from the town can also join the parade and take part in the final scene, planned with their group leaders in advance.

Stefan Charisius playing the kora while Dundu's puppeteers bring Baby Dundu to life beside him in rehearsal.Photo: Edgars Blumbergs

Baby Dundu and the kora

Baby Dundu, the giant's small sibling, visits schools, streets and care settings with the kora for short, gentle performances in the days around the parade.

In their words

What people said

“

I found it a very moving occasion, creating exactly what the title suggested, a wonderful spirit of togetherness.

Bradley Hemmings

Artistic Director, Greenwich & Docklands International Festival

“

Sense of Unity was such an apt title as residents shook hands and said hello to each other.

Gemma Tomkinson

Local resident, Bow

“

Seeing the locals and the visitors looking up in pure awe and surprise at the giant Dundu puppet was just beautiful to witness.

Kay Trayford

Creative Producer, LeftCoast, Blackpool

“

I was following the parade and these kids just kept saying, “This is awesome!” The kids round here don't often get a chance to feel that way.

Local resident

Whitehawk, Brighton

Two Spark! performers lit magenta, with Baby Dundu perched between them, at Illuminate Oldham.Photo: Craig Shaw
Baby Dundu riding above the Spark! drummers, lit red and green, in front of Blackpool's Winter Gardens.Photo: Edgars Blumbergs
Baby Dundu flying up from a Spark! drummer's hands, lit teal, in Oldham.Photo: Craig Shaw
Dundu on the seafront stage in Weymouth beneath the Jubilee Clock Tower, a huge crowd watching.Photo: Roy Riley
Dundu dancing between Spark! drummers on pink and gold drums in Oldham's Parliament Square.Photo: Craig Shaw
Spark! drummers on pink-lit drums with Dundu reaching down beside them in Bournemouth.Photo: Edgars Blumbergs
Children with glow sticks dancing and laughing beside a Spark! drummer in the Oldham crowd.Photo: Craig Shaw
Dundu striding through the crowd at night with drummers lit blue on either side in Blackpool.Photo: Edgars Blumbergs
Dundu leaning in over Spark! drummers lit gold and green, the crowd close around them in Oldham.Photo: Craig Shaw

Bring Sense of Unity to your town

Sense of Unity tours in the UK and internationally, produced and booked through Activate Performing Arts.

Book through Activate Ask us about Spark!