Have you ever heard the phrase “dance like nobody’s watching”?

It is part of a quote from American author Mark Twain, and ends with the line “live like it’s heaven on earth”. Heavenly moments and audiences have been hard to find of late, but local dancers are determined not to let Covid stop their annual Beyond Dance event.

Beyond Dance started in 2017, as a chance for dance students to present their own choreographed pieces, while raising money and awareness of the benefits of dance for mental health. As well as providing a fun and exciting environment for students of all types of dance to perform and compete, it raised valuable funds for Beyond Blue.

Normally held at the Cowes Cultural Centre in January each year, the event has been effectively derailed by the double whammy of Covid and the demolition of the Cultural Centre.

So now Beyond Dance is going online (#dancetwoforblue), hoping to raise $10,000 for Beyond Blue.

Cape Woolamai’s Lucy Bergman-Stanes is the event Ambassador and has performed at each Beyond Dance competition since it started. This year, instead of performing in front of a crowd, she’ll be posting videos of her performance online and is already on social media, encouraging her fellow dancers to get involved.

The aim is to attract 5000 dancers, each dancing for two minutes, and donating $2.

A great event

“I love this event, it’s not competitive, it’s fun and donates to such a good cause,” said Lucy.

She is a firm believer in the therapeutic value of dance.

“If I’m having a bad day, it makes me feel a lot better, and it’s a break from the ‘real’ world.”

Dancers can perform in a variety of categories, with the centrepiece of the event being the “Blue Challenge”, where dancers must wear blue and perform a lyrical or contemporary piece to a song based around hope and resilience. The challenge has never seemed more apt.

Dancers have already started putting together videos of their two-minute, self-choreographed routines, which are shared on the Beyond Dance Facebook page, and donations are streaming in, with over $3000 raised in the first week.

A Year 10 student at Wonthaggi Secondary College, Lucy will continue to promote the event, including being featured on the Beyond Dance poster and representing it at this year’s Victorian Dance Festival (scheduled for October).

For mum Nikki, the benefit from the event is multi-faceted.

“For the kids, they get to be part of something bigger than themselves,” she said.

“It’s about friendships, confidence and self-esteem. And it gives them an understanding of mental health. Moving your body, being in touch with your body is actually incredibly important and it’s important to promote activities that help recovery in the mental health space.”

Challenge

Working around Covid has provided some challenges, but Beyond Dance organiser Deb Campbell believes the online event is an opportunity to broaden the event beyond the shores of Phillip Island.

Although dancers from other areas did travel to Cowes, going online potentially brings in performers from across the country and a whole new audience.

“We normally raise about $3000 and we’ve already hit that online,” said Deb.

“I think we can reach $10,000 with the online version by the end of the year, but we do need lots of dancers from all over Australia to get there. We’ve found people are donating just because they love the arts, or want to support the idea of promoting dancing as a good activity for mental health.”

She said the arts sector in general has really suffered under Covid.

“I find it very humbling and amazing that these dancers are still getting out there and managing to dance anywhere, and are making a huge effort to also support mental health.”

To find out more go to www.beyonddance.com.au or to donate fundraise.beyondblue.org.au/dancetwoforblue