What’s On has details of Sunrise Nation, a morning dance party in Dubai – an alternative to Dubai nightlife – held at A4 Space, Al Serkal Avenue, Al Quoz.


Start your day a different way with Sunrise Nation. Swap late nights for early mornings and get your groove on before breakfast.

Three Dubai-based friends – Rasha Gebran, Tamara Ghaziand and Alamira Reem Al Ayedrous – have launched Sunrise Nation as a healthy alternative to a late lie-in and full English breakfast, and the girls claim it’s the “hippiest, happiest, most transcendent morning dance party in Dubai”.

Rasha, one of the organisers, said: “We love the Dubai nightlife but we wanted to introduce a new set of hours for people to party, feel good and have a mid-week dance.” She added that Sunrise Nation – which kicks off at 6am – has received positive reactions from everyone who’s made it along to the early morning soiree. “They’ve been filled with happiness and good energy, causing a ripple effect into the rest of the day and hopefully the week,” said Rasha.

Sunrise Nation takes place in a huge open-plan room in Al Quoz with stations for dancing, painting, hula hooping, yoga and pilates, while DJs provide the soundtrack. “People move from space to space and everywhere they can hear loud music,” said Rasha. “It’s feel-good, upbeat, tribal house.”

Numbers attending have steadily climbed since the first Sunrise Nation event attracted 80 people. Nearly double that turned up to the second event, and the third in early June was equally successful. “It was hard to tell how many people would show up for a party at 6am that wasn’t an after party,” said Rasha, “but the response has been great. We wondered who was crazy enough to wake up and come to party at that time. Well, it seems people in Dubai are.”

The next Sunrise Nation party is scheduled for June 24. Email mornings@sunrise-nation.com to bag a guestlist spot.

A4 Space, Al Serkal Avenue, Al Quoz 1, Dubai, 6am to 9am, free entry, guestlist only. facebook.com/sunrisenation