I’ll admit it.  I LOVE escalators.  I grew up in a small town without escalators.  When I was little, we’d occassionally go shopping in Spokane where the big department store had five floors and escalators all the way to the top.  My Mom would let me have the fun of riding all the way to the top once, before we started shopping.   Even now, escalators always bring me joy.

But, you have to love the fun all these folks have created in Stockholm in an effort to avoid the escalator: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lXh2n0aPyw&NR=1

It’s worth a trip to YouTube to see this spontaneous music making in Melbourne, Auckland, Milan, Istanbul, Tokeo…  http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=piano+stairs&aq=f

A fascinating part of these videos is the spontaneous team work that develops.  People that don’t know each other work together.  Individuals without prompting explore the possibilities … they search for clarity.  Then someone else contributes knowledge, out of the blue.  Together, as a group, if only for one trip up (and down) and up the stairs, group music is made.     It provides a fascinating study in how much fun, spontaneous group work can be if you just trust in the moment and the music.