Illawarra No Lights No Lycra events liberate locals looking to dance and de-stress

Dimly lit and judgement-free dance parties have been running throughout the Illawarra for more than a decade, with people of all ages reaping the benefits of letting loose at local No Lights No Lycra events.

Every Thursday people from all walks of life gather at Wollongong’s Old Courthouse to break up the daily grind and dance away the stressors of the working week.

The concept of No Lights No Lycra was created in Melbourne in 2009 and made its way to Wollongong in 2013.

Current hosts Andrew Scobie and Chris Ramirez were avid attendees of the event before taking on the responsibility of running it, so know first-hand just how freeing the experience can be.

“It was just a break from the day where I could enjoy the music,” Chris said.

“Just have some ‘me time’, listen to the music and then go away refreshed.

“I’ve always loved dance,” Andrew said. “After the first night I was absolutely hooked it was so good.

“It was so liberating.”

The dance session runs every week for one hour, with lighting so limited that you can only make out silhouettes.

There’s no touching other dancers, no alcohol and no judgement on your abilities or your age.

“I think part of it is just being able to provide a space where people can enjoy music because when you get to middle age you still have the love of music that you did when you were 20,” Andrew said.

“A lot of people, including myself, I feel uncomfortable going to a nightclub because it’s just a different age group.

“We’ve got that opportunity to do that here.”

They said there was a mix of people who attended the event, with ages ranging from around 20 to 65 years old.

And the music is just as diverse.

“You’ve got the old favourites and some that you haven’t heard in a while,” Chris said.

“My favourite kinds of music are 1990s and 2000s music.

“I love all kinds of different music, electronic dance music, R&B, hip hop, funk, soul, so my playlists will include lots of different genres from different decades.”

And each song can have a different meaning and connection with different participants.

“I think that a lot of people love older retro songs because it brings you back to the time and place where you were 20 and you were meeting friends and listening to songs on the radio or having a record,” Andrew said. “So it’s that time capsule that can bring you right back.”

The venue only holds a couple of dozen dancers to make sure everyone has enough space to move safely and confidently, but there are opportunities to participate in other events as popularity grows, with No Lights No Lycra also running in Dapto, Thirroul and Helensburgh.

“People just love the experience,” Andrew said. “They’re so refreshed and I think destressed.

“There’s a whole lot of physical, emotional and mental benefits.”

Each No Lights No Lycra session costs $8 to cover venue higher and licensing, with tickets available at the door or prebooked online. For more information on No Lights No Lycra Wollongong, visit the event’s Facebook page, or to find a different event closer to you, visit the No Lights No Lycra website.