"On a Friday night in Washington, D.C., 56 year-old Mindy Bohannon is the first person on the dance floor. "I love the music," she yells, "and I can swing my arms while it's still early!" It's definitely still early it's barely 6 p.m. Bohannon won't be able to swing her arms for long, though. Despite the early hour, the dance floor at Union Stage, an underground live music bar, will soon be packed."
"The real tag line for Earlybirds Club is: "A dance party for ladies who have [stuff] to do in the morning" but they use a common expletive instead of the word "stuff." Their pop-up dance parties run from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. Anyone can come, but they're primarily for women, trans and non-binary people to have a safe space to let loose. And then be home early enough to get a full eight hours of sleep, of course."
""We can't be out all night anymore," says Laura Baginski, one of the co-founders of Earlybirds Club. She loves live music, but hates that concert openers don't start until 8 p.m. "I'm 50 years old," she says, "I have no time for that." Baginski, who is from Chicago, started Earlybirds Club in 2024 with her high school friend, Susie Lee. "She and I shared this big love of music," Baginski says."
Earlybirds Club stages early-evening pop-up dance parties, typically from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., aimed at people who want to enjoy live music while getting home early. The events are open to anyone but primarily serve women, trans, and non-binary attendees seeking a safe space to dance and socialize. Founders Laura Baginski and Susie Lee launched the concept in 2024 after recognizing a demand for earlier shows. DJ Helean Lee, a former radio and wedding DJ, returned from retirement to provide music. The gatherings began in Chicago and expanded to cities such as Washington, D.C., where they draw enthusiastic participants.
Read at www.npr.org
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