You know how joyous and releasing it can feel to kick off your shoes, let yourself go, and dance to music when no one is watching? Well, it's even better if you can share the experience with other people...without feeling like you're being judged, suffocated by cigarette smoke, or hit on.

It's called by a variety of names: FreeDance, Dance Alive, Barefoot Boogie, etc.., but whatever the name, it's a growing phenomenon. You can find it now in many cities and towns around the world. Check out a list of locations worldwide, compiled by Dance New England. If there isn't already a group near you, it's not that hard to start one. Here's a personal account of what it's like:

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One of the great joys of my life is an event that happens every Wednesday night here in Burlington. Winter, Summer, rain or shine, I can count on Wednesday night to balance my physical, emotional, mental and spiritual selves.

Here are the ingredients: a small group of barefoot people, a good-sized rented room with wood floor, soft lighting, a cd/tape player, some well-chosen tunes, and an agreement between us that everyone is safe to respond to the music as he or she wishes, without judgement, free to dance alone, or to interact...

The music starts gently, rises to a wild plateau, then gently subsides over about 90 minutes. Good things happen... I may start out within myself, feeling tense and disconnected from the day's stresses. Then, because I know no one will object, I let the music unwind my body, not trying to "dance", just moving like I would in my living room, with no one watching. I start to feel more relaxed, and then, because there are other people there, I begin to interact, to move around the room, and soon, it seems we are all dancing together- a pair here, a trio there, the whole room moving as one, then as many. At the end of it we are all happy, thoroughly connected to ourselves and comfortable with each other in a way that reminds me strongly of childplay.