Who Needs Coffee When There's a Dance Floor Waiting?
October 17, 2013

London’s Morning Glory rave workoutFor most people, mornings in and of themselves are tough. So the idea of dancing at 6:30 am—before work—might not immediately sound like something you want to get behind. In London, however, Morning Glory rave workouts are the latest fitness craze. (Feel free to re-read that last sentence if you are experiencing disbelief.)

For £10, Brits in Shoreditch are getting up to get down at a club called Village Underground from 6:30 to 10:30 am. One of the producers of Morning Glory refers to the monthly event as a chance for adults to “shun the dreary gym” and “create the human connections you would on a Saturday night, without the drunken, shameful memories.” If that sounds like a tall order, keep in mind that participants in Morning Glory have access to massage stations, coffee, croissants, a smoothie bar, hula hoops and, of course, the freedom to cut a rug on the dance floor.

As dancers and teachers, we’re all familiar with that pleasant rush of endorphins that follows a dance class, and that little pick-me-up is exactly what the creators of Morning Glory are trying to cultivate. The producers cite dance’s ability to boost seratonin, euphoria, creativity and concentration levels as surefire evidence of the event’s appeal. Studies have shown that exercising in the morning also burns fat quicker and leaves you feeling energized for the day ahead.

Still not convinced this is something for you? Last spring, the DT team took a chance on a similar venture: Lunch Beat NYC. We took a break from our regular lunchtime routine and headed over to Flatiron dance club Slate, where we paid $12 to boogie on the dance floor and feast on an entirely vegetarian lunch spread over the course of an hour. We had a surprisingly good time working up a sweat to the DJ’s techno tunes. (We also made it our mission to photo-bomb as many of the official photographer’s shots as possible.) Turns out that Lunch Beat is another European export: The first lunchtime dance party happened in Sweden.

That’s us–Rachel and Andrea–near the middle of the photo. My eyes are half-closed. (In pure bliss, obviously.)

Here’s hoping we’ll see the U.S. version of Morning Glory soon!

Andrea was one of the first brave souls to claim the dance floor as her own.

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