When it comes to throwing parties in Dubai, Chris Wright certainly knows a thing or two. As the founder of Secret Parties, the company behind a number of award-winning ladies’ days and brunches across the city, he has spent years building an entertainment empire that continues to draw the crowds.
And now he is using that expertise to expand into new industry, one that might not seem obvious at first, but that he believes makes total sense — fitness.
When Wright’s close friend, influencer and former Love Island star Anton Danyluk, suggested a joint business venture, the idea came to them naturally.
Scroll through the gallery above for pictures from Junk.
“We started talking about business ideas, and discussing how Covid had really affected both of our industries in a negative way,” says personal trainer Danyluk.
“I believe fitness gives you that euphoric feeling that makes people feel great, Chris’s industry also gives people that feeling when they go out and party, so we thought ‘what if we bring this together and make one concept?’ and that’s what Junk is.”
Set in a giant warehouse in Al Quoz, the space doesn’t look much from the outside, but that’s half of its appeal, Wright says.
“We wanted to embrace the industrial vibe of the area and for the space to have that dive bar, speakeasy vibe, you would never know that this is all inside,” he says. “We wanted people to almost feel as if they are going to a warehouse rave.”
Inside, the space is fronted with a giant screen, DJ decks, strobe lights (the same ones used by famous Ibiza club Amnesia) and even smoke machines. If it wasn’t for the gym equipment scattered around the edges, you’d be easily forgiven for mistaking the space for a night club. And that’s exactly the vibe Junk is trying to create.
“We want people to feel like they are going to see a performer, enjoying the music and the lights and the sound system, but they will also be getting their workout in at the same time, burning those calories off, and come away feeling really positive and full of good energy.”
Currently, Junk is offering five different classes based on five different music genres, and members won’t know what they will get until the class starts.
“We have our Junk machine,” Wright explains. “At the start of each class, it randomly selects which genre of music we go with. So you could come to a class in the morning and go into a cheesy pop class, working out to Vengaboys or Spice Girls, or it could be house music or RnB, and that’s one of our unique selling points, you won’t know what to expect.”
Wright and Danyluk believe that by putting the music, the fun and the vibe first, they will naturally create an atmosphere where people enjoy the fitness side of things, too.
“We almost want it to be like the fitness is the last thing people come here for,” says Danyluk. “You’re going to be there and enjoying yourself so much, the music is going to be pumping, the lights go down, and you can just really get into the workout without worrying about anyone else around you.”
In fact, Junk’s whole ethos is that it’s a gym for people who don’t normally like going to the gym.
“So many gym classes now just focus on making things as hard as possible, and for me, that’s just not optimal. I want people to be coming to my gym classes, and yes, getting a good workout, but ultimately just loving it so much that they want to come back, and we believe that the way we have created this concept will have people doing exactly that,” Danyluk says.
“It doesn’t matter how fit you are, what shape or size you are, this is a concept for everyone. It’s dark, there are no mirrors, it’s not pretentious, it’s just about the enjoyment.”
Each of the five classes have been designed first and foremost around the music. Recycle is a spin-based class, Beatbox is choreographed boxing, Reboot is a bootcamp-style class, Dancefit is a Zumba-style class and then there’s yoga.
Danyluk says the first few classes were about increasing fitness, while yoga is more concerned with removing "mental junk".
While the space is about as far from a traditional yoga studio as you can find, Junk is offering something unique thanks to its huge LED screen at the front of the space, which the pair say will take people on a visual journey.
Of course, Wright plans to team Junk up with some of his Secret Parties events and promises there are plenty of plans in the pipeline.
“We will have live DJs from our Secret Parties events, as well as hopefully some international guests,” Wright says. “We will also do some collaboration events with Secret Parties, we’re actually in the process of sorting some special deals for our Secret Parties brunch guests to come the day after brunch for a complimentary class.”
Junk is currently offering a free week’s trial for new members, and its early-bird memberships start from Dh499 per month.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
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Tales of Yusuf Tadros
Adel Esmat (translated by Mandy McClure)
Hoopoe
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Company%C2%A0profile
%3Cp%3ECompany%3A%20Zywa%3Cbr%3EStarted%3A%202021%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Nuha%20Hashem%20and%20Alok%20Kumar%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20UAE%3Cbr%3EIndustry%3A%20FinTech%3Cbr%3EFunding%20size%3A%20%243m%3Cbr%3ECompany%20valuation%3A%20%2430m%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
FIGHT CARD
Bantamweight Hamza Bougamza (MAR) v Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)
Catchweight 67kg Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) v Fouad Mesdari (ALG)
Lighweight Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) v Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)
Catchweight 73kg Mostafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) v Yazid Chouchane (ALG)
Middleweight Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) v Badreddine Diani (MAR)
Catchweight 78kg Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Adnan Bushashy (ALG)
Middleweight Sallaheddine Dekhissi (MAR) v Abdel Emam (EGY)
Catchweight 65kg Rachid Hazoume (MAR) v Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG)
Lighweight Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 79kg Omar Hussein (PAL) v Souhil Tahiri (ALG)
Middleweight Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Laid Zerhouni (ALG)
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
MATCH INFO
Alaves 1 (Perez 65' pen)
Real Madrid 2 (Ramos 52', Carvajal 69')
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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SERIES INFO
Schedule:
All matches at the Harare Sports Club
1st ODI, Wed Apr 10
2nd ODI, Fri Apr 12
3rd ODI, Sun Apr 14
4th ODI, Sun Apr 16
UAE squad
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Zimbabwe squad
Peter Moor (captain), Solomon Mire, Brian Chari, Regis Chakabva, Sean Williams, Timycen Maruma, Sikandar Raza, Donald Tiripano, Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chatara, Chris Mpofu, Craig Ervine, Brandon Mavuta, Ainsley Ndlovu, Tony Munyonga, Elton Chigumbura
Results
6.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,200m; Winner: Major Cinnamon, Fernando Jara, Mujeeb Rahman
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,900m; Winner: Al Mureib, Fernando Jara, Ahmad bin Harmash
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Remorse, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
8.15pm: Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Meshakel, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Desert Peace, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m; Winner: Sharamm, Ryan Curatlo, Satish Seemar
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Match info
Liverpool 3
Hoedt (10' og), Matip (21'), Salah (45 3')
Southampton 0
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
