Dancing as if no one is watching you takes on a whole new meaning at the regular No Lights No Lycra dance gathering.
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"It does sound a little bit strange," said Ballarat NLNL coordinator Rebecca Perovic.
"We turn the lights off and the music on for an hour. Being in the dark you can be freer - it doesn't matter how you look like dancing because no one is watching."
The hall is dark, but there's just enough light that dancers can see the silhouette of people around them so they don't collide, but not enough light to see who it is.
"Our dancers are really respectful - everyone gets into their own zone and there's space not run into anyone," she said.
Ballarat's No Lights No Lycra celebrates its eight anniversary on Monday September 4, with around 20 to 30 dancers coming along to the bimonthly dances.
"Being in the dark you just move to the beat and not worry about anything. Before new dancers come in, they are edge and nervous so I tell them that no one is going to care as much about how they look as they care now, so if they can let go of that self judgement they'll have a good time."
Generally, she said, they come out sweaty, happy and vowing to bring friends along next time.
Dancers range in age from children to those in their 70s with a mix of genders and backgrounds.
"The one thing that unites us is a joy of dance, we love to dance, there's a real camaraderie and sense of community," she said.
"NLNL is good for your physical and mental health and a great non-traditional form of exercise, especially if you're someone who doesn't feel comfortable at the gym. It's a time to leave thoughts and words at the door, switch off from the outside world, shake out the stress of the week, and lose yourself in the music."
Ms Perovic had heard of the NLNL concept from a colleague who used to run one in Berlin, and after moving to Ballarat about 12 years ago with a young baby she was looking for something different.
"I didn't have much of a social circle, I used to work in events, I love to dance and I hate traditional kinds of exercise - you'll never catch me at the gym or anything like that," she said.
There was already an existing NLNL in Ballarat but its organiser was too busy and it was struggling, so Ms Perovic took it over and asked her friend Tristan James, aka Mr DJ, if he would provide the music.
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Since then it has gone from strength to strength, derailed only by COVID, but it has rebuilt numbers over the past few years - particularly among those looking for a boost to their physical and mental health while providing a fun method of stress relief, therapy and connection.
NLNL events are now held in about 75 locations around the world, with the movement starting in Melbourne in 2009.
Tickets for NLNL Ballarat's eighth birthday boogie are at https://www.trybooking.com/CLBRQ only and Facebook.
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