Dance 'Till Daybreaker

Dani Konrad
Nov 8, 2016
3 min read

It was the night before attending my first Daybreaker event and a wave of awkwardness and anxiety rushed over me. A Daybreaker is a yoga class followed by a dance party all beginning before sunrise and ending before having to clock in at work. I love dancing despite being terrible at it. I love getting a jump start on my day. I love breakfast foods and coffee included with the price of admission. This event seemed right up my alley. So what was this tingle in the bottom of my stomach? Then it all became perfectly clear.

I was going to a dance BY MYSELF. The catalyst of my interest in Daybreaker had to go out of town and my neighbor completely flaked on getting a ticket before they sold out. But Dani, you’re thinking, you’ve traveled to Europe *multiple* times BY YOURSELF. How could this be scarier than that?

I was transported to the day of my high school Senior Prom. I had no date and I got pushed out of my friends’ “couples’ table” since I wasn’t a part of a couple. Jerks. I felt like the epitome of the odd man out the entire evening. So here I was again, that nerdy girl who couldn't get a date and sat at the reject table.

What does one wear to a yoga rave party to fit in, anyways? Thanks to social media (yay internet!), I found out a Daybreaker always has a theme and people tend to dress with that in mind. This particular party’s theme was “We’re Up to Get Lucky” since it was just before St. Patrick’s Day. Knowing this, I got myself a new green tank top to go over a bright orange sports bra I already own. Great, outfit set.

I made sure to wake up extra early in order to get a good yoga spot. I suggest to arrive right when the event opens so you’re not that jerk making everyone cram together after the class has started. Even *I* know basic yoga etiquette and I HATE yoga. I’m literally like a dog on ice. However, I wanted to get the full experience of the event so I opted for the all inclusive package. You can get just a ticket for the dance party if yoga isn’t your thing, much like it isn’t mine. Yoga is only 45 minutes long and is more a gentle stretch to wake up your body.

As the yoga class wound down, the dreaded “dance by yourself” portion was going to begin. I milled about outside but thankfully now that all the food vendors were set up I had a purpose. Nom. Nom. Nom. I ate my granola bar and drank my almond milk while I checked my email, Instagram and Twitter to pass the time before the dance party started (thanks smartphones!).

People began to trickle into the venue. I started slowly, off to the side oddly swaying back and forth. Step by step, I moved to the center of the room trying to stay on beat. I looked around at all the dance circles forming and made my way closer as if the sheer presence of my gyrating body said “can I?…just…join…with you guys?” Then it happened, I was let in! As I confidently danced with this group of girls I scoured the rest of the room for other solo soldiers like myself. Of which, I noted, there were many. There was even a former Golden Globe winning television vixen alone. The only people who “stuck out” were those that weren’t smiling. Those that projected disinterest or a sour mood. Why pay money to wake up at 5:30am not to have a good time? And as any heroine in a story has her arc, this is where I reached the pinnacle of mine.

I left that group of girls to dance in other areas of the room, take pictures, snapchat the roving brass band and grab more snacks (because, SNACKS!). I got to the point where in a room full of people, I danced like no one was watching. And if they were, I certainly didn’t care.

The event ended with intention cards being passed around the room. It read:

“The only thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can.” - Neil Gaiman.

I tucked the card away in my pocket, ready to take on the day.