Morning Daybreaker Parties!

By Autumn Feldmeier

I used to be a morning person. Maybe it was the years of my Ashtanga Primary Series practice at 6am or my early morning runs in my 20's, not sure, but I used to like to get my workouts done early. However, in more recent years, the foggy mornings in SF have made it tough for me to get up and get motivated to workout early in the morning.

Enter Daybreaker - early morning dance parties that end just in time for you to get to work. Each one has a different theme. For example: Solid Gold, Mischief Mystery, and (naturally, the most recent one) Halloween. And this one had the added extra touch of being on the SF Belle Hornblower Cruise boat! Now this is something I can get up early for...

Imagine over 500 revelers, all in Halloween costumes, dancing their way into the day. Did I mention, that it was raining, and still it was the best Daybreakers yet! You would think that people wouldn't have the time at 6:30 am to show up in costume, but then, you may not know this crowd. All of the amazing people in their creative costumes gathered together to yoga, dance and sail.

Music included Dusty Rhino and DJ Clarke Harmon. They got the crowd in a frenzy and we danced for a couple of hours. We closed out the dance scene with a group circle and inspirational poem:

Live your truth. Express your love.
Share your enthusiasm. Take action towards your dreams.
Walk your talk. Dance and sing to your music.
Embrace your blessings.
Make today worth remembering.
-Steve Maraboli

Then, as they always do, a special performer played to close out the event. This time it was Cello Joe , a beat boxing cello player. I had the amazing opportunity to interview Cello Joe to get his take on Daybreaker.

AF: A beat boxing cello-ist is a unique thing. What is the strangest gig you've ever done?
CJ: There are three that come to mind. Performing at Burning Man in a dust storm, playing at corporate gigs like Sequoia Capital and I have even performed at a 'play party.'

AF: How did you develop the idea of mixing beat boxing with the cello?
CJ:  I studied practical cello growing up and then I started playing it on the street. I also grew up listening to Doug E. Fresh and my friends and I would cypher and beat box so I incorporated the two.

AF: Are you a morning person?
CJ:  Not really but I like Daybreaker because it shakes you out of your normal routine. I like that no one is drinking and getting drunk. In a sense, it filters out the lame. It's like a morning dance class with no instructor. I love that Daybreaker incorporates artistic elements that really surprise you. As for me, I'm a believer, and getting up early is no problem.

When the 6am alarm goes off, I don't hit the snooze because I know that Daybreaker is about choosing to live life differently, choosing to be happy and choosing to pursue the best versions of ourselves.

See you on the dance floor!!

To learn more about Daybreaker and to find out when the next one is coming to SF click here.