What’s the best way to mentally and physically prepare yourself for a whirlwind Grammy weekend? An early morning dance party, of course.
New York City-based live entertainment organization Daybreaker and Aflac paired up for a special Grammy edition of Daybreaker’s pre-work extravaganza at Highline Ballroom, which included an hour of high-powered yoga and a two-hour dance party on Friday (Jan. 26) — all before 9 a.m.
“We are taking you on a journey today through six decades of music,” the event’s emcee Elliott LaRue told the 700 people in attendance shortly after renowned fitness instructor Jaycee Gossett finished leading a smaller group in a mix of yoga, exercise and self-exploration. What followed was a musical timeline from the 1950s to today, including songs from each era both performed live and played over the speakers as eccentrically dressed event-goers (we’re talking tutus, neon, glitter and all) bounced along.
As LaRue hinted, the Daybreaker/Aflac collaboration was themed “Long Live Music” in honor of the Grammys’ 60th anniversary, honoring Grammy winners through the decades like Michael Jackson, Britney Spears and Donna Summer. Starting with the ’50s, showman Adam James crooned the hyped crowd with Frank Sinatra classics “Come Fly With Me” and the fitting “New York, New York” (with a snippet of Alicia Keys and JAY-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” intermixed) before former Glee star Matthew Morrison took the stage for the ’60s segment to sing The Supremes’ “You Can’t Hurry Love” with his wife Renee.
The next era featured dance crews and members of the Daybreaker family to sing and entertain to songs like Summer’s “Last Dance” and Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” along with a model-themed ’90s hour as an homage to Madonna’s staple “Vogue.” After a James White-choreographed number to Spears’ 2005 Grammy-winning dance track “Toxic” for the 2000s portion, 2018 nominees Kaleo took the stage to close out the decade-themed event with a performance of their best rock performance-nominated song “No Good” and an acoustic version of their breakout hit “Way Down We Go.”
Those who ventured away from the packed dance floor to head to the venue’s balcony were treated to music-themed ice cream from lower Manhattan favorite Mike & Dave’s and were even able to snap a picture with the famous Aflac duck himself (yes, the actual duck). Inspirational quotes by Joni Mitchell, Keith Richards and Ray Charles lined the walls, making for quite the comprehensive musical appreciation.
To make the morning even more special, Daybreaker founder (and birthday girl) Radha Agrawal took the mic to make a special announcement: Half of the event’s proceeds are going to the Aflac Cancer Center. And thanks to the 700 people who took part in the music and wellness experience, the center will be receiving $7,913.66 to benefit childhood cancer patients.
“When you wake up in the morning, you can choose to be happy, or you can choose to be miserable,” LaRue declared as the music wound down and the Grammy-themed Daybreaker event came to a close. “Today, we choose to be happy.”
