Acroyoga is an amazing experience. A symphony of acrobatics and Yoga is what Acroyoga is all about. Since you are searching for festivals, chances are you are already hooked to this practice or definitely know about the perks. It does not matter whether you are only a beginner who has taken a few classes and workshops or a pro-teacher, it’s always a good time to be a part of an Acroyoga fest.
You must have definitely had a lot of fun being the base or flyer and being a part of a jam or two. It’s now time to attend a festival since it is a singular opportunity to explore every aspect of Acroyoga and dive deep into it.
Acro yoga festival is the perfect way to live the true essence of it i.e. train, play, and build a community.
The soul and vision of Acroyoga
The word Acroyoga is unanimously understood to be yoga acrobatics. There is a feeling of therapeutic flying, great strength, and focus associated with it. So, what is the real deal that makes it such a captivating art; if we may say it.
Here are the three main reasons that come to mind:
- Socializing and meeting people from the acro community all across the globe
- Familiarize with teachers of various styles and learn their skills from all over the world
- Get better at new flows and techniques in order to improve your skills
The founder, Jason Nemer remarked his envisionment for coining Acroyoga, “I am forever amazed at how a first AcroYoga flight can dissolve barriers of language and country, or how one improvement on a handstand can invigorate new possibilities of strength, balance, and progress”.
Now that the purpose is clear, we now focus on the ways to choose a festival.
How do you choose which festival to attend?
Acroyoga was officially coined in 2003 and it took off from there to building a global community. It would be difficult in the initial years to search for authentic and good festivals. But, this isn’t 2009 anymore. With the increase in popularity, there are so many places you can visit. Here are the ways in which you can narrow down and select the cream.
There are at least a dozen festivals with very customized filters organized all over the world that you can choose from. Better yet, an excellent excuse to travel the world and connect with people.
Factors based on which you can choose:
Venue
It is the first important decision for you to make. Whether the place is accessible for you. Can you make the required reservations for transport on time? Is it cost-effective? All of these questions need to be addressed. Are you comfortable with the weather conditions as you will be actively taking part in multiple activities there?
Duration
Acroyoga Festivals are organized generally for the time duration of 2 to 5 days. But, nowadays there are other pre and post events attached to it. They are for a better experience and bonding in the groups you practice during the fest. You must research a suitable event based on the time you can dedicate to attending such a festival.
Enclosed or Nature
Acroyoga is all about the experience. A prominent role is played by the ambiance in which you feel more motivated and enjoy. There is no thumb rule as to which you must choose but it’s accustomed to the vibe you feel. Festivals are being organized in proper sports auditoriums/stadiums and even places like the beach, desert, a national park or the mountain. It is your calling that is to be answered.
Accommodation
A good night’s sleep contributes a lot to how you participate in the daily schedule. It is another important aspect to be considered. The choice of practicing in enclosed spaces or nature will be a key role player in your accommodation. Also, whether it is being provided by the organizers or not must be verified. You can always choose to AirBNB or choose to stay in a tent.
Level of Difficulty
The organization of the festival is a very subjective one. It is often filtered on the basis of foundation, beginners, i.e. Level- 1 or 2, etc., experts and acro yoga teacher training. There are also various styles mentioned while briefing of the program that must be paid attention to. Based on your current level of expertise, you can make the choice. It is a higher possibility for you to get multiple options if it is a larger festival. So, you can definitely target and hunt for those.
The Trainers
Many teachers are active participants in festivals like these. They can teach you some amazing tricks to do the acrobatic handstands that you already practice. There is scope for you to learn new washing machines, pops whips, standing Acros, partner acrobatics, etc. If you are trying to tap a fest by a particular trainer, some good research might land you in the right place. A trainer is the most important part when you think of a festival aligning with your needs.
The Crowd
While this might sound insignificant, take the word from the experienced, it is an important one. You might end up expecting a lot of participants or even lost in the crowd of hundreds of acro yogis. The number of people expected to be participating in the festival does matter and must be noted for your preference.
Some Well-Renowned Fests
Acroyoga Fest
‘Acroyoga International’ is the biggest name and brand in the Acroyoga community. They regularly organize festivals and conventions all around the world. They are the biggest, most fun and rewarding fests to be a part of. They are organized recurringly throughout the year so here is what you must keep a watch on for the upcoming Acroyoga festivals 2020.
One of the best things when attending these conventions is that they are short and sweet. The festival is held in a different country every year In 2018 it was in Berlin and Athens in 2019. The upcoming festival is the biggest Acroyoga festival in Asia in 2020. It is set to be held in Ubud, Bali from Feb 21st to Feb 23rd.
This is a great opportunity to learn from international teachers and the founder Jason Nemer himself. While you can choose to be a part of the festival on a single day, you can even attend the entire festival at an affordable price of $175. You will need to care for your own food and board.
Israel Acro Convention (June)
This is an amazing convention held in the former dance school that turned into a convention space in the Negev desert. They help you work on skills to stabilize the foot to hand and hand to hand. You can focus on drills, techniques to get strong and the few fundamental tricks.
It is a lot of fun and plays. It is organizing a 4-day event with classes running all through the day. In the night, you won’t only be partying. There will be Acro Olympics, longest handstand matches, and many Ninja stars.
The Dutch Acrobatic Convention: (September or October)
If you are planning to be a part of a festival somewhere next fall, then you can keep a tap on these able organizers. They are mega organizers with a full attendance of nearly 500 participants. They efficiently conduct about 15 workshops in the same shared space. The 4-day event focuses on different levels of L-basing and Standing Acro. It is surely a fun event with all the concerts and parties held every night.
It is one of those once in a lifetime kind of experiences of living in tents in picturesque locations in the Netherlands outside the training hall. Another big attraction that you must not give a miss is the Pre-convention festival that sets the tone for this healing art. You can spend a pleasurable time of training, playing, and community building for five days together.
