Tom Cruise pretty much launched his long career by dancing in his underwear during one memorable scene of “Risky Business.”

And certainly MTV is full of videos of folks dancing in their underwear — or a Frederick’s of Hollywood version of underwear, anyway.

But for average, solid, early-rising Mainers, what possible reason could there be for dancing in one’s underwear?

Justin DarkCity, a Portland DJ, says there are plenty of reasons. He knows first-hand that if you throw an underwear dance party for Mainers, they will come.

He DJ’d such a party at Flask Lounge last year, and said at one point, people waited an hour and a half in line to get inside. It was so popular, he’s spinning tunes at another one this Saturday at Flask.

“I think it’s more to give people the freedom to do what they want to do. Nightlife is about letting go, having fun, and forgetting about your responsibilities for the evening,” said DarkCity. “The underwear is obviously optional. We don’t force anyone to be in their underwear to get in the door.”

But it is $2 cheaper to get in — $3 instead of $5 — if you show up in underwear.

The party is being billed as a “Pride party,” and is being held on the same day as the annual Southern Maine Pride Parade and Festival. The underwear party is not officially connected to the Pride festival, but is more of an “after-party” for folks who might have gone to the festivities earlier in the day, DarkCity said.

It’ll be strictly a dance party, with no speeches or other events. Just dancing — in your underwear.

DarkCity, by the way, is not his real name. But he says that’s his DJ’ing, underwear party-throwing name and all the nightlife people know him by it. And he’d rather not mix his nighttime persona with his day job persona.

What happens at the underwear party stays at the underwear party. Or something like that.

DarkCity says he got the idea to have an underwear party because some friends of his began taking off their pants — and dancing in their underwear — at clubs where he was spinning the tunes.

“This seemed to catch on, and my nights became known for a lack of shirts and pants. Mostly pants,” he said.

He then went to the management at Flask and asked to have an official underwear party, and got a resounding yes.

One major factor about an underwear dance party, DarkCity says, is that it’s much easier to throw than, say, a costume dance party. It takes some effort to come up with a costume.

But for most of us, putting on underwear every day is pretty much routine.

“When it comes to underwear, (almost) everyone is already in costume. All they need to do to participate is make the decision to take their pants off,” he said.

So what is considered to be underwear? Well, in the spirit of giving folks freedom, there are no rules. Anything people wear or could wear underneath their work clothes would qualify, from bras, panties, slips and camisoles to briefs, boxers and thongs.

“Full-on lingerie sets were in attendance (last year), superhero inspired briefs, and just about everything else,” said DarkCity. ” I hope to see some ridiculous stuff this year.”

The music for the party will include electro-house, pop, hip hop, funk, soul and underground stuff.

Lighting will be kept to a minimum, DarkCity said, because “a darker environment has a whole host of benefits.”

Staff Writer Ray Routhier can be contacted at 791-6454 or at:

rrouthier@pressherald.com