Disclaimer: This story is not sponsored by any of the companies or organizations mentioned here.
On Wednesday morning, I attended Daybreaker Boulder: Fire and Ice, held at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. For those who have never heard of Daybreaker, it’s a yoga class followed by a rave, early in the morning — 6 a.m., in the case of yesterday’s event. Without drugs or alcohol. And with the most positive energy you’ll ever feel in your life.
Okay, that’s not the most convincing pitch. Hear me out.
I arrived just before six, anxious that I was going to be late to yoga. (The first hour of the event is a yoga class; tickets for the event are either for the yoga class and the dance, or the dance on its own.) Walking in the door, I was greeted by the most excited faces I’ve ever seen on adults, a hearty “Good morning! How are you?” and a massive bear hug.
Whoa. When was the last time you got to an event and were greeted with so much enthusiasm and gratitude just for showing up?
Happily stunned, I walked upstairs into a beautifully decorated room, complete with blue and purple light and an artist painting in the corner. The yoga class commenced quickly after I had conversed with more strangers out of the blue than would be considered normal in a public place. But there was something different about this class: It was Sound Off. That is, we were denied the instructor’s voice ringing in the room, the people around us and our own breath by wearing noise-cancelling headphones. Through those, we received instruction as well as background music for the duration of the practice.
Having had a solid stretch and sweat, I rewarded myself with breakfast. Local and healthy snacks aplenty were offered up on tables at the edge, including kombucha samples and those superfood snack clumps that you see at Whole Foods but are always too expensive. (Treat yourself, friend.)
The floor, which had been packed with yoga mats and humans moving smoothly, seamlessly switched to a dance floor packed with humans moving passionately. The crowd practically tripled within half an hour, with people opting out of the yoga class in favor of just the dance.
The energy never died, though. If anything, the more we danced, the more we wanted to dance. At first I had been a bit reserved, but I quickly realized something crucial about that space: No one was there to judge or be judged.
Here’s the thing about Daybreaker. Getting up at an ungodly hour, raving without substances and dancing like a fool- they don’t make you a better person. They just let you unleash what’s tucked away within. There’s something liberating about dancing without care or worry. (In fact, this is built into Daybreaker’s model, to encourage the release of all those brain chemicals that are associated with joy and a good time.) Within that crowd were people of all ages, from grade school kids with their parents, to high school and college students, to working and retired adults. This is a satisfaction that transcends lifestyle and age.
On the dance floor, people threw confetti, dance circles were created and dissolved, and an electric accordion (yes, it’s exactly what you think it is) DJed for a medley of popular electric songs. The music, lights, space and atmosphere gave us the agency to express our unabashed selves, to dance both with flow and erratically, to wear no shoes and bodysuits and loud colors and dress-up fashion. Event coordinators, some of the best dressed people there, decked people out with rhinestones and glitter. It was someone’s birthday, so event staff brought out a bowl of donut holes with sparklers as candles.
I walked in the door just before six with a tired mind and an achy body. By the time I walked out, just after nine, I had woken up mentally and emotionally, filled my heart with an emotion that can only be expressed as ecstasy and allowed my body to move how it wanted. I’m tired tonight, and that’s fine by me. The positive energy and high was more than worth the early rise.
Contact CU Independent Breaking News Editor Lucy Haggard at lucy.haggard.@colorado.edu.
