No Lights, No Lycra is a weekly, lights-off chance to dance in the dark for the pure joy of dancing. It’s a place to shake out the stresses of the week, let go of your inhibitions and completely be yourself. It’s a world-wide phenomenon.

When NLNL started in 2009, it was born out of the desire of two rebellious Australian dance students to quit critiquing themselves in the mirror and start dancing for the joy of dancing again. So off came the skin-tight spandex and off went the lights.

The darkness creates a certain kind of magic that forces you to forget about what you or the people around you look like, so that your brain can shut off and your body can move with the beat. Stay for a session and by the end you’ll be in a dancing zone that you’ve never been before!

While the ‘No Lights’ is a given, wearing lycra is actually okay. People wear tracky pants, bike shorts, your work clothes, or a one-piece full-sequined leotard. The only rule is that you do need to wear clothes.

The space is light enough so that you can see the silhouettes of people around you, but dark enough so that you can’t make out their features. The aim is to find the sweet spot between creating a fool proof judgement-free space, and safety! When the lights first go out, it will seem pitch black, but after a few minutes your eyes will adjust and you can find your space to bust a move.

The music is a little bit of everything from swing to dance to pop to folk to rock to hip hop to soul to super cheesy top 40. Some are dance floor classics and some are weird things you may never have heard before. You may hate some of it but you’ll probably love a lot of it. It varies week to week, so if you’re not sure after your first time, be sure to try a second. Or send in a request.

And you can always sit out for a song or step-tap on the spot if anything doesn’t take your fancy – it’s not like anyone will see you!

NLNL is a drug and alcohol free zone. While it is dark, NLNL is for dancing on your own, so people dance independently and it’s completely non-contact – there isn’t any direct physical interaction between people.

You can go with firends or go on your own. Regardless, once the music starts everyone finds room on the dance floor to dance independently. Attending alone is totally normal, welcome and even encouraged!

Daylesford NLNL sessions are on Friday nights from 6-7pm at the WE Stanbridge Hall, 54 Central Springs Rd, Daylesford. Tickets $10 or $8 concession online https://www.trybooking.com/CFQDA ,or can be purchased at the door!

For more information https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089306424547