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Lancaster

Dances give you answers

Dancer: Julie

Dance Location: Electric Chair, Manchester

This is a dance that... chased the ghosts away.

I was wearing good trainers, black tights and a dress that really moved. I remember thinking 'I feel really good'. I was 34 and single and starting to think I would never have kids. And I went out that night to dance. I wasn’t interested in meeting anyone. I’d grown up in Manchester so going out to dance was a bit like going to church: I’ll sort that out - whatever that is - on Saturday night...

I call him Skater Boy. The dancefloor was heaving – typical Electric Chair, brilliant experimental House music. Sweat was coming off the ceiling. It was dark but with really nice lighting so that you could see their eyes.

He threw me around. I’ve never danced with such abandon. There was absolute gold happening - it was in my veins. It was timeless on the dancefloor. We were timeless. He took his cap off, I took off my paraphernalia. We were full of possibility. We met midway, we neutralised ourselves. I was so high but I’d only had two drinks, no drugs. I came to the dancefloor for answers and I found answers through a skater. He didn’t discriminate. He made me realise it was all ok. Everyone was clapping us.

I saw him on the pavement outside. I think on the dancefloor he didn’t know how old I was. He tipped his cap. “Thanks for that”. I don’t think we spoke.

I couldn’t say that I won’t dance it again. My natural pessimism says that I won’t but I’ve danced it in my head when I need to cancel out the future. In there, Skater Boy is faceless.

All the planets were aligned that night.