Be Yoga: XYoga Dubai, presented by Dubai Holding, returns for an action-packed third-edition

XDubai and Dubai Holding today announced the return of the XYoga Dubai Festival. The popular event is set to be held at Kite Beach from 1-2 February 2019 for two days of inspiration, invigoration, connection and calm. Organised by action sport brand, XDubai, the festival – the region’s largest - will be headlined by an extensive list of international and local practitioners, who are expected to lead more than 15,000 yogis of all ages and abilities across two full days of over 60 classes, running from sunrise to sundown.

This year’s edition features an illustrious line-up of local and international yogis including  Laura Sykora, who has grown a global following of over 1 million followers with her photogenic inversions and handstands; global yoga warrior Janet Stone; Garth Hewitt, the creator of the Shiva Yoga® system; best-selling author and celebrated mind and body wellness expert Davidji and popular Indian yogi and trainer-to-the-stars Deepika Mehta.

In addition to the international contingent, the UAE’s most popular yoga shalas and formidable yogis will also be leading a variety of holistic and signature sessions at the festival. Practitioners can sign up for sessions hosted by leading studios including Nilaya House, Urban Yoga, Yoga House, Yoga Ashram, Dryp, Lotus Holistic Yoga Center and Voyoga.

With the full programme to be revealed in due course, avid as well as amateur yoga practitioners of all ages can immerse themselves in classes of all intensities, from tranquil meditation sessions to gravity-defying acroyoga. New styles to be introduced this year include Iyengar yoga, partner yoga, hula-hoop yoga, Bollywood dance, Tai Chi, acroyoga and yogalates. Some of last year’s most popular styles, including sri sri yoga, yin yoga, clinical yoga, therapeutic yoga and art therapy yoga will also be part of the programme. In the lead-up to the main festival events, XDubai and Dubai Holding will also be organising warm-up sessions around the city, the first of which will take place on December 21st, 5pm at the Ripe Market at Police Academy Park. Led by Ragini Nagu from Kintsugi Studio, the hula-hoop session will be flow and rhythm-based.

The latest edition of the festival will also carry on the tradition of the last two iterations and open with a complimentary mass yoga session for 2,000 yogis on Friday, 1 February 2019 at 8:00am.

The mass session will open what will be two days of complimentary classes, workshops, talks and performances in the festival village. In addition to the three stages - the Dubai Holding stage, which will be the venue for classes holding up to 400 attendees, as well as two side stages accommodating up to 150 yogis each – the festival village will also feature popular local venture Ripe Market. The market will be home to an array of retail activations by home-grown and international specialist yoga brands, an array of nutrition focused outlets offering healthy and organic options as well as artisanal products by local entrepreneurs.

Thanks to a robust partnership between global investment holding company Dubai Holding and action sports brand XDubai, the XYoga Dubai Festival is part of an annual roster of events that encourages Dubai residents and visitors to defy their limits through health and fitness. Since its inception in Feb 2016, the XYoga Dubai Festival has brought together the local and international yoga communities at its inaugural event as well as its 2018 event, attracting internationally renowned yogis such as Sjha’ra Taylor, the founder of Chocolate Yoga; Candace Cabrera Moore, the founder of YogaByCandace® and Yogi Cameron, one of the most celebrated Ayurvedic and Yogic practitioners in the world. The previous editions also saw Indian celebrities Shilpa Shetty and Malaika Arora participate in and lead the opening sessions.