The Space Rave
I went to an intergalactic space rave this weekend, what did you do?
By Erin O’Connor
Yes, you read that right.
I’ve always loved a good boogie, particularly after a couple espresso martinis with the girls. Nothing beats that endorphin rush that comes with cheesy tunes, questionable dance moves and a giggle with your closest pals. With lockdown in full swing, though, it means I’m dancing on my own (cue Robyn’s song). However, in the spirit of trying new things, and in an attempt to kill time on yet another weekend at home, I plucked up the courage to attend a virtual intergalactic space-themed morning rave, hosted by Daybreaker.
For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about, a morning rave is a dance party like any other rave, but without all the drugs and booze. Oh, and they take place literally at the crack of dawn. Fancy it? I thought you might. I didn’t know this before, but morning raves, or ‘conscious clubbing’ as some describe it, involves more than just dancing around like a lunatic. There is a combination of yoga, meditation and guided dancing and free dancing to make it an overall mindful experience.
Part 1 : Yoga Flow with Elena Brower
The sober shenanigans kicked off with an energising yoga flow led by Elena Brower (a highly renowned instructor from the States), designed to open up our body and rid our minds of any inhibitions I guess - before we let loose in the dance party. I have to say that my mind wasn’t as present in the moment as it should have been, partially because I was nervously anticipating what was coming next, but also I tend to feel a bit sluggish and distracted in the afternoons, maybe I would have felt differently if I were on the other side of the Atlantic and actually taking part in the morning? However, it felt really good to practice with a teacher that I wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to, and being able to flow (albeit virtually) with 600+ from all around the world is pretty damn special!
So far, things sound pretty tame- yoga class? Fairly standard, but when we were referred to as “cosmonauts” that it all got a bit weird. Now, I’m all for letting our imaginations run free, but when you’re in an intense side stretch reaching both arms in one direction trying your hardest not to topple over and you’re told that the bottom half of your body is in one universe and the top half is in another, it’s really hard not to burst out laughing.
Part 2: The Moon Walk Tutorial
Next stop on the intergalactic space odyssey (oh god, who do I think I am?!) was a tutorial on how to do the moon walk. Safe to say, I’ve never felt more rhythmically challenged in my life. The instructor was some peppy guy from New York, and while his instruction and enthusiasm was on point, all I could focus on was how terrible I was. Floating through space was the goal, but I felt more like an elephant wearing platforms. Not exactly the technique, but hey ho! I think I’ll be sticking to the side step....
Part 3: The Rave (and the soundtrack!)
It’s worth mentioning that everyone tends to dress up for these sorts of things, and because I don’t really do cosplay, I was pretty stumped as to what I should wear. So, I put a mixing bowl on my head as an astronaut’s helmet - my neighbours must have thought I had well and truly lost the plot! Now for the main event - DJ Dane of Dusty Rhino was on the decks, and I have to say his intergalactic-themed set was my favourite thing of the whole experience, in fact I’m re-listening to it as we speak! Full of old school bangers, including some of my all-time favourite Daft Punk tracks, I had a proper boogie around my living room.
The bowl didn’t stay on my head for long, though. It felt too weird.
It was rather lovely to see people all over the world getting their groove on to the same music, but I could tell something was missing - that in person energy and connection. I guess that’s the one thing you can’t replicate over a Zoom meeting, but it did mean that the vibe was different.
For the first half an hour or so, I felt like I was living my best life you know, dancing like nobody was watching, and all that jazz. But without anyone else actually around me, I got a bit bored.
Part 5: Sound Healing
The final part of the event was a sound healing, a meditative practice that uses vibrations from instruments like gongs or singing bowls to create a sense of relaxation and calm.
By the time the sound healing came around, I had sort of lost my attention - don’t get me wrong, I have spent some time at sound baths and healing sessions before, but after a couple hours of dancing around my flat on my own, my attention had drifted elsewhere (namely to the leftover banana bread on my countertop; yes I have also become that person who’s been quaran-baking like it’s a national sport).
I think, to really get the full “morning rave” experience, you need to have an all-in attitude and completely let go of any fear or worry of what others might think of you. The instructors had all committed to the cause, wearing head-to-toe space themed outfits (one even in a full astronaut boiler suit), and they had incorporated space-y sounds throughout to create a bit of an atmosphere. But if I’m totally honest, it felt a bit forced.
So, would I do it again?
I’d definitely be up for going to a proper morning rave (actually in the morning this time!) once we are given the a-ok for more social interaction. Hopefully by that point my moon walking skills will have improved don’t hold your breath! I think I’ll forego virtual raves though...
Morning raves, or any events that involve mindful dancing, definitely can have a wonderful impact on your overall wellbeing, particularly helping you feel connected to such an amazing community of people. My advice to anyone interested in going to one for the first time would be to go with a friend or two - at least that way you can have a good old giggle together, and knowing that you’ve got a familiar face by your side may help to ease the self-consciousness.
erin o’connor
Erin is a writer based in London. When’s she’s not attending a space rave, or attempting to make her own face scrub she is writing about anything and everything to do with wellbeing and mindfulness.
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