Setting the ‘barre’ for fitness and fundraising

By Lucia Viti

An inaugural, jam-packed, high-octane wellness day to celebrate health and well-being will take place on Sunday, Sept. 13, at the Embarcadero Marina Park.

Called “Daileyfest” — after The Dailey Method, a family-oriented dance barre fitness studio franchise on the West Coast cofounded by Jill Dailey — the event is being driven by The Dailey Method San Diego, located at 1230 Columbia St., in Little Italy. Organizers are inviting San Diego’s fitness families to come celebrate wellness and help fundraise for a great cause.

Uniting with its Rancho Bernardo, Poway and Carlsbad counterparts to produce Daileyfest, The Daily Method San Diego will co-host outdoor all-level barre lessons including its Dailey Interval, Dailey Express and Dailey Baby (mommy, daddy and baby) classes, along with a meditation session. Families will also enjoy aerial yoga performances, an obstacle course, a laser maze, a braid bar, plus a live DJ.

Teeki, Beyond Yoga, OH! Juice and Nuts for Paleo will be among many of the local businesses showcasing their healthy wares.

Barre — which stands for ballet — are workouts that make use of a stationary handrail for various warm ups, exercises and training sessions.

In addition to promoting outdoor fitness, Daileyfest will also act as a fundraiser for Heartlight San Diego, a nonprofit organization that provides after-school youth, noncompetitive dance and fitness programming, with net proceeds subsidizing scholarships for students from more than 100 elementary schools throughout San Diego.

Spearheaded by Ashley Allison Adam, The Dailey Method San Diego’s owner and master instructor, Daileyfest is one of the many ways the Little Italy-based business supports its community.

“We partnered with Heartlight San Diego to spread the importance of health and fitness to families everywhere,” Adam said. “Heartlight fits perfectly with The Dailey Method’s core values. It’s critical to put fun into working out while building healthy habits that will last these kids a lifetime.”

Placing an emphasis on movement and individual achievement, Heartlight — a branch of California Fitness Fun — also teaches aerobic dance, jazz, hip-hop and turbo-kick boxing classes.

“San Diego’s Embarcadero is a beautiful setting for what promises to be a great outdoor community event,” said Kathy Uchimura, Heartlight’s owner and president. “We believe in families staying healthy together [and we are] even hosting a module dance program that will enable the adults to participate in The Dailey Method classes while we teach the kids a series of dance routines that they will later perform for their parents. And kids love nothing more than performing for their parents!”

Uchimura stressed the importance of fitness programming for kids who haven’t joined a sports or dance team by the time they’ve reached the fifth grade.

“Twenty percent of kids 11-years and older who have not yet participated in organized athletics are likely to never become involved in any athletic activity,” she said. “Heartlight provides opportunities for kids to attend movement classes at their school. Pick-ups and drop-offs at a second location are non-existent. We attend to every kid — no matter what their athletic ability may be — willing to dance, right on the spot.”

The all-green event – right down to the solar-powered stage and sound equipment — will also feature keynote speakers, including Councilmember Mark Kersey, San Diego’s District 5 representative and Heather Hemmer, creator of “The 30 Clean” nutritional program.

Kersey will publicly designate Sept. 13 as “The Dailey Method Day” in recognition of their overwhelming efforts to give back to their community.

“Small businesses like The Dailey Method play an important role in our community,” Kersey noted. “I am pleased to honor The Dailey Method for its commitment to being a community-focused business while improving the fitness and well-being of San Diegans.”

“We’re honored to have Councilmember Mark Kersey recognize The Dailey Method,” Adam said. “[He] appreciates San Diego’s small businesses who work diligently to make a difference in their community. The Dailey Method Day will spread the love of its program as we continue to give back to our community.”

The Little Italy entrepreneur described Daileyfest as something the whole family would enjoy.

“Festivals happen but they’re not always family friendly,” Adam said. “The Dailey Method is a family-friendly business, running a family-friendly festival, showing the love of gathering family in the name of fun, health and wellness.”

For more information or to purchase tickets for Daileyfest, visit thedaileymethod.com/sandiego.

—Lucia Viti is a local freelance writer. Contact her at [email protected].