Jenny Parker is a lively, creative 51-year-old. She’s a member of a growing movement among Generation X revelers who enjoy the dance floor before dark and like having their party end before sunset. Parker, along with her friends, hit up daytime clubbing events, or “day parties,” which have become a staple for the over-30 crowd. These special discussions that differ from typical MBTA public meetings last from 3 PM to 8 PM. With a throwback soundtrack spanning the 1970s to the early 2000s, they allow partygoers to relive their prime time rager days.
In July 2024, Nick Shaw opened Studio 38 in Brisbane. The phenomenon soon took off and spread to Sydney, eventually hotting up in Melbourne. Since then, with the popularity of daytime clubbing booming, there’s been an influx of other operators into the space, bringing daytime dance parties to cities across Australia. Parker has directed a boisterous troupe of 20 women. Together they dance, share stories, and reflect on their journey — continuing to celebrate their history while making it relevant to their new lives.
A New Approach to Nightlife
Dave Maguire, another enthusiastic participant in this trend, passionately describes how dancing allows him to reconnect with his glory days. Now 51, he shows no sign of stopping, taking both conservatory classes and to the dancefloor. On one five-hour clubbing session he logged an astounding 40,000 steps!
“I punch out 37,000 steps in five hours and I’m home in bed by 10 PM,” – Dave Maguire.
Maguire is not alone in his sentiments. Many attendees appreciate the chance to enjoy a lively atmosphere without the late-night consequences. Enhancing the experience, Shaw wants to highlight that daytime clubbing provides a special kind of respite for busy, overstimulated adults.
“You can go out and have fun all afternoon and you’re home by 9 o’clock at night,” – Nick Shaw.
This new nightlife culture is indicative of a larger trend with Generation X. While they are finally navigating the privileges and responsibilities of adulthood, thirty-something millennials want to enjoy life even as they take care of their obligations.
Benefits Beyond the Dance Floor
The perks of daytime clubbing go beyond just having a good time. Justin Keogh, a physical activity and health expert, underscores the cognitive and social benefits of dancing.
“Dancing has lots of physical benefits but also has a host of social and cognitive benefits as well,” – Justin Keogh.
Along with its physical activity benefits, as a community-building practice, dance encourages relationships to develop between dancers. As Keogh notes, dance in all its forms is inherently social. They provide people the opportunity to connect with others and experience the happiness that comes from dancing.
“Most forms of dance are social in some capacity so you’re meeting a whole range of people, those benefits are huge,” – Justin Keogh.
Cognitively, dancing stimulates many different parts of the brain. As Keogh goes into, it’s just such a complex, gross motor skills that overall is a lot of coordination between the brain and the body.
A Shift in Priorities
The rise of daytime clubbing is both a big ‘tell’ and touchstone cultural moment for Generation X. As Simon Kuestenmacher points out, this generation learned from observing their parents’ work-driven lives and now seeks a better balance between work and leisure.
“[Generation X] grew up watching their parents work themselves to death and figured there must be a better way of balancing work and life,” – Simon Kuestenmacher.
Parker can hardly contain her excitement as she describes the gatherings. She appreciates how they allow her to have fun and feel like a kid again, while still taking care of her adult world obligations.
“When we talk about daytime clubbing, this is Gen X realizing there is more to life than just work and they might as well live it up.” – Simon Kuestenmacher.
Parker echoes this sentiment, expressing her love for these gatherings and how they allow her to embrace her youthful spirit while still tending to her responsibilities.
“I love it, I live for it, I wish it was on every single weekend,” – Jenny Parker.
