Anomalii’s Last Dance

I’m an outgoing introvert. The idea of attending parties and events alone is exciting but also daunting. How do I make friends? Will people be friendly? Can I hold deep layered conversations instead of surface-level small talk? Will I end up alone 95% of the time or be invited into people’s circles?

I recently went to Anomalii’s biggest and most spectacular event yet (sadly it’s also their last): The Last Dance Masquerade Ball and Hotel Takeover. What makes this event different from their previous events that I’ve been to?

• It’s a 2-day event (normally it’s just one at night)
• The inclusion of a hotel stay for all the guests - effectively taking it over

Talk about going out in style!

Without any hesitation, I purchased my tickets for it all the moment they went on sale. Paying via Klarna was a game changer. Buying both a hotel ticket and a ball ticket was going to be a big purchase but having the option to spread the cost over three months made it so much easier. It took the pressure off my monthly budget and probably helped a lot of others do the same 😅

I had a feeling this would be an experience like no other. If the day events were always a roaring success, this would be twice the fun.

The Pre-Event Munch

A month before the big weekend, Anomalii hosted a munch which was possibly the best idea to do. People who are planning to attend (or not) the Last Dance and/or Hotel Takeover can come together in a vanilla setting and get to know one another. This acquaintanceship would make attending the big event less daunting as there’ll be familiar faces and potentially meeting their friends. For an outgoing introvert like me, this was exactly what I needed. Familiar faces = less anxiety ✅

Friday – Arrival

A month later and the big day has arrived. Friday morning, I packed my outfits and toys, drove up. As I parked my car, I spotted someone I’d met at the munch. Instantly, I felt at ease. The perfect start ✅

After checking in with Anomalii and the hotel (a lil late thanks to traffic, last minute preparations, packing and the usual chaos), I headed down to the hotel’s bar restaurant for the first event - the pub quiz. Some of the other partygoers recognised me as the Daft Punk winner from the Voyager Masquerade which is wild to me as that event was almost 2 years ago! I joined a team with the guy from the car park and two others he introduced me to. Making friends already ✅

One thing I do want to highlight is how nice the hotel was. It’s a 4-star hotel from a fairly new chain that sits in that sweet spot between affordable and high quality. Most hotels in this category tend to be 3-star so the fact that this was a 4-star stay really stood out. It felt premium without feeling out of reach which says a lot about the choices Anomalii made for this weekend. The staff were friendly, professional and welcoming throughout and I’d like to think they enjoyed having us there too ✅

White Party

As the evening wore on, I got ready for the first event of the weekend - the White Party. This part was good fun as it was a night of laughter, games, dancing and a sea of sexy white outfits. I met more people including someone who recently returned from Japan which got me excited since I’m heading there in a few months. Classic introvert moment: I needed a little recharge break but I bounced back and had a great night. So I’m glad of not being alone or “antisocial” for the whole night ✅

At the end of the night, I got myself a pizza at 3am and shared it with someone new and called it a night. Amazing how sharing food helps with meeting new people ✅

Saturday – Socialise & Workshop

Saturday morning and breakfast time was a little quiet as people were recovering from the fun that was had last night. A number of us were looking forward to bowling & laser tag at 12pm. I chose laser tag. My team won the team deathmatch and I took first place. This is one of the best things I like to take part in - a team-based activity. It gives an opportunity to get to know your team mates and and bond with a whole new group of people I hadn’t cross paths with the day before ✅

Coming back to the hotel on a high, I went to get ready for the next item on the agenda. But before that, there was time to socialise. Someone brought along some card games that anyone can take part in. The game was quite fun and I managed to get a win in one of the rounds. Once the game ended, we turned our attention to the Sensory Play workshop at 3pm. It was informative and educational even if some of the things demonstrated were familiar. Still, a solid afternoon ✅

With the main event in a few hours, I napped as it was imperative that I don’t burnout or as Anomalii once blogged “fall off before the finish line”. One thing I forgot to talk about is that at the time of check-in, I was given a goody bag (thanks to having a recent test result) and a welcome pack. In the welcome pack was a door handle hanger designed by Anomalii. It’s not your typical do not disturb sign but rather it said on each side:

“Feel Free To Knock! I’m Friendly”

and 

“Hello this is ___ knock if you are ___”

Naturally, I wrote my name and @ hoping people who already follow me online can come and say hello, get acquainted, etc. It was a very good idea to help familiarise yourself with who is who and who your neighbours are on your floor or the other floors (there were 4 floors in total). Did it work? Sort of… more on that later.

The Last Dance Masquerade

After having a nap and dinner, I got dressed, suited and booted, and made my way downstairs to the lobby. By 9pm, we were on the coach to the venue. I’m so relieved Anomalii provided transport. It was a great move as you’re interacting and having a laugh with people you’ve already met. Imagine we had to make our own way there and back? People would have either arranged an Uber or drove down either by themselves or with a group. That worries me as I don’t quite have a “group” and, in some way, it also makes me feel inadequate. So a coach full of people I’d already connected with made all the difference here ✅

The venue brought back memories. For starters, it was the place where I attended my first Anomalii event and where I won the best-dressed award. Those moments live rent-free in my head ✅

I promised I’d put myself out there despite my shyness, social awkwardness and my introverted ass. That means giving tokens to people I connect with. Sadly I didn’t get a chance to chat to anyone new. Except for one person who I crossed paths with at the Voyager Masquerade. Let’s call her L. This was someone I was really looking forward to seeing again as I regretted not taking my shot with a token or even said hello back then. Luckily we followed each other on X/Twitter and have exchanged messages on there. When L showed up, I said my hello, chatted for a while and said we’d catch up later on. This small step was a win in my eyes ✅

So what happened during the event? There was a pole dance show, announced the best dressed winners and got a heartfelt speech from the founders and owners of Anomalii. It was both magical and emotional. When that was done, we followed Mrs Truth and her tambourine to the glory hole! It was iconic. And I finally handed a token to L citing that I’ve been meaning to give it to her back then. She received it well and honestly I was proud of myself ✅

I took a step outside in the courtyard for a breather. The courtyard had a smoking area and was heated too. More importantly, there was a food truck so if one was feeling hungry or peckish, they can get some grub. I also wanted to see who else had drifted outside to cool off for a moment. Had a check in with Mr Truth (an absolute gem of a man) and made sure everything is ok for me and for him too. I also checked in with the friend I bumped into at the car park. It’s important to have these check ins, making sure everyone is doing ok including myself. Having said that, I’m an empath who cares about others a lot.

I also inadvertently partnered up with another attendee I met in the hotel who, just like myself, was attending solo. Let’s call her B. So having each other made it easy for us to navigate the night. We took pictures together by the awesome Matt. We walked around, being voyeurs, watching a few couples and throuples through the two-way mirror having fun. Being together also allowed us to check out the couples room as well (which was probably the sexiest room at the venue). We also chilled out in the jacuzzi and finally ended up in the dungeon where my partner topped me with the cane and flogger. My bottom definitely felt it. With all that said, would you believe me if I told you this was my third Anomalii event where I got to play/do stuff for the first time? I guess I really wanted to break out of my shell and have an amazing time. No regrets ✅

Sadly the night was drawing to a close and we had to leave. There were coaches to take us back to the hotel. Anomalii have said days earlier that we could bring a plus 1 from the masquerade party back to the hotel. As I was heading out, I bumped into L and was asked if she could come back to the hotel with us. As we got outside, we missed the coach so I instinctively ordered an uber for myself, L and a couple of mutual friends. I have a knack of looking after my people and the act of kindness can strengthen the bond and connection you make with people ✅

Hotel Takeover After Hours

Back at the hotel, it was cocktail hour at 3am. Got ourselves a drink, socialised a bit more but it’s safe to say that a lot of people were feeling some type of way. For example, someone that I’ve met at the vanilla munch was also at the hotel takeover. Let’s call her M. We got on so well that we connected after the cocktail hour. She wanted to experiment with choking and spanking and asked if she could try it on me. As a switch, I liked the sound of this scene very much and agreed to it. What started with just the two of us in the lift - the lift’s lights flicking off into standby - ended up in the hotel room. I was definitely put in my place ✅

Remember when I mentioned about those door handle hangers? Well as I was chilling in my hotel room, I got a knock on the door and two individuals were at the door curious that I wrote “knock if you are a Domme” on the sign. I told them that it’s what I was looking for but sadly I had my moment. So it did work in the end. If only it happened earlier.

By this point, it’s 6am and I got another knock at the door. This time it was L. We flirted earlier when we arrived at the hotel and hinted that something’s going to happen when we go to bed. One thing led to another and … you can draw your own conclusions ✅

Sunday – Goodbyes & Reflections

By now it’s Sunday and I woke up to catch the last hour of breakfast. It was then time to check out as I had Monday work commitments. I saw a few familiar faces and managed to say goodbye. I also went around each floor and knocked on the rooms I know about and said goodbye. Unfortunately I missed some who have checked out before me.

Driving back, I reflected on how perfect the weekend was. If I somehow still struggled socially, I probably would have looked into how I could help in the form of volunteering. Being able to carry out a task at an event helps to avoid the awkwardness of standing in a corner and not talking to people. It also makes socialising easier. Thankfully it didn’t come to that. I thrived ✅

Most importantly, I’m truly blessed and lucky that I discovered Anomalii. They’ve been around since 2019 and I only heard about them in 2023. Seeing a space created for people of colour in kink was something I used to only imagine. I’ve been to parties, events and even resorts since my early 20s (I am 40 now). Nearly all those events were predominantly white spaces and while it welcomed everybody, the experiences felt as a person of colour were not always pleasant because of fetishisation, stereotyping and generally standing out in the crowd. I didn’t feel that in an Anomalii party. In fact, there was a sense of relief and belonging. A community where for once you don’t feel out of place or “weird” just because you’re a person of colour who enjoys kink and sex.

I’m gutted this was Anomalii’s last event. But what they’ve done for the community, the lifestyle and the people, inspired others to follow in their footsteps and their name is etched in history.

Thank you Anomalii.