How a Bali festival connects people through music, dance and yoga, transforming lives along the way
- This year’s Bali Spirit Festival, from March 24 to 31, is expected to draw well over a thousand people, many coming from China and Hong Kong
- More than 300 workshops, seminars and classes will be held, covering yoga, dance, healing, breath work, personal development and much more
The annual Bali Spirit Festival (BSF) has come a long way. The brainchild of two friends who came up with the idea over tea in the artsy town of Ubud on the Indonesian island, the festival saw less than 200 people at its inaugural event in 2008. At this month’s festival, they expect over five times that.
More than 1,000 happy people enjoy the much-loved intimate “party”, which is often referred to on social media as one of the best yoga festivals globally.
But it’s not just about yoga. The festival’s aim is to create deep relationships between people, help the local community (several outreach programmes run throughout the year), provide fun and ensure the emotional well-being of those taking part. It is a celebration of yoga, dance and music, says one of the three co-founders, American Robert Weber, 44, the festival’s music director.
“It all came about when my friend Meghan [Pappenheim] and I were in a cafe in Ubud. We both love African dance, so we came up with an idea of bringing people together in Bali to connect through music, dance and yoga. We wanted to create something that could help change lives. A transformational boutique-style retreat almost. This type of festival didn’t exist before. It was the first in the world to combine these three elements,” he says.
