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Dancing In The Dark

Story: Linda Read | Photo: Bella Lightfoot
Published On : Apr 23, 2021
Dancing In The Dark
If you've ever felt the urge to dance like no-one's watching, now's your chance ' quite literally ' to do just that.  

No Lights No Lycra (NLNL), a free-form dance movement that offers participants the freedom of self-expression and a host of other benefits ' has recently opened in the 4017 area.

Established in Melbourne in 2009 by two dancers who wanted to find a way for people to use dance as self-expression, the NLNL movement has spread to around 75 locations in Australia and internationally, with the Brighton branch being the second in Brisbane and the only one on the northside.

Brighton NLNL ambassador Bianca Crawford said the free-form dance classes were open to people aged 12 and over, with no upper age limit. Held at Nashville State School every Monday evening, the lighting is dark enough that you can see people's silhouettes, but you can't identify their featuresť.

There's no following someone else's steps, there's no instructor or anything like that, there's no technique ' just your own body,ť Bianca said.

We create a playlist every week; people can request songs, but we try to have a mix from the 50s to the 2000s. You can wear whatever you're comfortable in.ť

As well as self-expression through movement, NLNL offers many other benefits, according to Bianca, including a great physical workout at your own pace and the chance to release endorphins and de-stress, which positively affects mental health and well-being.

Some of the other core values of NLNL are that it is non-judgemental; it's drug and alcohol-free; everyone is a dancer; it's an inclusive community; and it's a safe place to dance where no one is watching.

It's a community that promotes health and well-being through dance,ť she said. It's just a safe place to just be you; we really push the mental health and well-being aspect.ť

In alignment with that ethos, the Brighton branch is running a raffle during May to raise funds for not-for-profit mental health research facility The Black Dog Institute.

For further information, inquiries, or to book for the classes, visit www.facebook.com/nolightsno...

No Lights No Lycra North Brisbane
Nashville State School
Mondays, 7.00pm-8.00pm
$10 per person; $8 per concession.