Real People/The Not-Quite Nightclub
Let’s Go Crazy ... Responsibly
Laura Baginski and a pal created dance parties that end at a sensible hour
MY FRIEND Susie Lee taught me to celebrate life. Now I help other women do the same.
Susie and I were coeditors of our high school newspaper. We made each other laugh constantly. After graduation, we were there for each other’s milestones, but we weren’t as tight as we had been.
Then a couple of years ago, they announced our 30th high school reunion. I didn’t want to go at all, but Susie asked me if I would take her. She had been diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, and she needed someone to watch over her. She had a cane by then and was pretty unsteady.
So we went to the reunion together. And we couldn’t stop talking. Susie was so full of joy and ideas. I remember thinking, I love this person. Why hasn’t she been a huge part of my life all this time? From that night on, we texted every day, and we started thinking of a project we could do together. One day I said, “What about a dance party for middle-aged women?” When you’re 50 and have a spouse and kids and a job to go to, it’s almost impossible to go out dancing, because concerts start so late.
Baginski and her friend Susie Lee, inset, gave women an outlet.
Susie was on board right away. She was an entrepreneur with a creative brain and a lot of connections, and soon, we had a venue—a little dive bar in Chicago—and a DJ. We set the party to run from 6 to 10 p.m. and called it the Earlybirds Club. The night of our first dance, a blizzard hit. Yet to our amazement, more than 100 people trudged through the snow to party.
That was proof of concept. So we turned the party into a business, with 10 percent of the proceeds donated to local nonprofits that serve women. In 18 months, we’ve hosted 45 sold-out events in 15 cities. Altogether, more than 12,000 women and trans and nonbinary people have come. The party is a place where people are able to be their full selves. They can twirl around, sing off-key and release pent-up angst without feeling watched or judged.
Sadly, Susie died in August. But these parties are part of her legacy. So are the things she taught me. For example, I don’t like being the center of attention, so I never used to acknowledge my birthday. But Susie said, “That’s dumb. You should celebrate the fact that you’ve lived another year. It’s incredible.” So when I turned 50 a couple of months after Susie died, I threw myself a big party. I did it for her. And she was right. I’m lucky to be here. We’re all lucky to be here. And we should enjoy it. —As told to Bridgette Reilly
Former editor Laura Baginski, 50, is a cofounder of the Earlybirds Club. She lives in Chicago.
MEMBERS ONLY
Go to aarp.org/laurabaginski to watch our video interview about the Earlybirds Club.