Marianne Williamson preaches hope and love at Manhattan dance party
NEW YORK — Presidential hopefuls typically spend the early days of a campaign meeting voters and making speeches in early voting states like Iowa and New Hampshire. But Democratic candidate Marianne Williamson took a different tack this week, addressing a glitter-covered crowd at a Manhattan dance party — a nontraditional campaign event for a nontraditional candidate.
The author and activist, who is barely registering in national polls, insists that despite having never held public office, she’s a serious candidate worthy of national consideration.
“I think that it’s so important not to lock out of politics people who do come from other parts of the culture,” Williamson told NBC News. “There’s a lot of seriousness and a lot of deep-thinking and a lot of creative energy and imagination going on in other corners of society — more so than within traditional politics, and that’s why I’m running.”
Williamson’s remarks closed an event hosted by Daybreaker, a brand known for wellness-focused morning dance parties that combine workouts, live music, and motivational speakers. After dancing to bongo drums and a DJ, attendees sat down on the Sony Hall dance floor to hear Williamson speak about the need for people to take power back in politics.
“We see a lot of people who are very smart, who have a lot of good ideas. And they have a lot of strategy. You know what their problem is? They don't know how to dance,” she said to applause.
As the disco ball spun overhead, Williamson spoke about standing up to corporate and political greed, echoing themes from her January campaign announcement. She also dug into her spiritual roots, urging the Daybreaker crowd to get involved and invested in politics.
“We have to rise up like other generations have risen up before us, and show the universe and every molecule around us that the force of love is greater than the force of fear,” she said.
The candidate’s conviction and charisma won over 31-year-old Rachel Ofer, a Daybreaker attendee who had never heard of Williamson before the event, but now says she may vote for the candidate. “The way she carries herself, the way she speaks. It’s just super inspiring,” Ofer said.
Daybreaker Co-Founder Eli Clark-Davis guessed that a substantial part of Wednesday’s Daybreaker crowd was there for the dance party, and not necessarily the candidate, but he’s hoping others running seek out atypical campaign stops, like Wednesday morning’s party.
“What better way to hear people than after you danced your face off,” Clark-Davis said. “You’re fully open and present to what they’re saying.”
