Daybreaker: Inside The Dance Party Giving New Meaning To 'Rise & Shine'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – You've probably heard of dancing the night away, but what about dancing the morning away?
While most people are busy getting ready for work, another crowd is partying.
It's called Daybreaker, and hundreds of New Yorkers are getting in on the excitement.
As CBSN New York's John Dias reports, the dance party may be two floors below ground, but it's uplifting.
"It's fun to see that you can do it the other way around," partygoer Arnaud Luicks said.
"Everyone is just high off each other's energy," said Rebecca Kercer.
"It's a great chance to dance, and you don't have to have the pressure of going clubbing," Dana Humphrey said.
Two days a month, the Daybreakers get an exclusive invite to different venues, where they break up their morning routine.
Chloe Rudensky, a preschool teacher, has joined eight times.
"It's a community where you can go alone and feel accepted, and it's really amazing," she said.
Instead of bouncers at the door, there's a greeting committee with hugs for everyone. There's no alcohol here – instead, the bartenders hand out drinks like coconut water or green juice and bananas – and drugs are strictly prohibited.
Organizers say dancing sober in the morning releases your brain's so-called natural "happy chemicals." They call it the Daybreaker D.O.S.E, or dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins.
"We've replaced all the negative aspects of nightlife and brought it into the light, into the positive," said CEO Radha Agrawal.
Agrawal is also the author of "Belong," a guidebook to finding real friends and building a community, like the one she made at Daybreaker.
"We are starved for connection, even with social media," she said. "So creating an environment and a space for people to come and just dance and let go and be free and self-express and connect is such an important mission statement for us."
The two-hour dance party starts at 7 a.m. and costs $20 to get in. You can also pay extra for an hour-long yoga session before the dancing begins.
People of all ages are welcome. Berenice Magellanes, a mother from Astoria, said it's been life changing and she never feels judged.
"I am actually proud to tell you I am 42 and I am coming to day clubbing. My friends say, 'my daughter doesn't even come to day clubbing,'" she said. "Just come in, enjoy yourself and you're going to be free – free of age, free of energy, free of everything."
Daybreaker started in New York City but has since expanded to 25 cities around the world, including places like Amsterdam, Paris, Stockholm and Buenos Aires, plus Miami, Chicago, Seattle and Los Angeles.
For more information, click here.
