Getting started: Teaching yoga at festivals

Here is a recent post from my facebook page:

Hi!  I enjoyed reading about the festival yoga! 

I would like to do something like that here in the states.  I live in Phoenix, AZ and my husband is a bluegrass musician. We like to travel to different festivals throughout the Southwest. I will be teaching traditional Raja, eight limb yoga.  

Would you mind sharing how you charge for something like that and what you do about mats, props, etc? 

Thank you!! Namaste!

It's great to work from a dedicated yoga space

How exciting to receive correspondence from the US. I love that people are enjoying my blog and interacting. It is my true pleasure to support others by sharing my experience and participating in the flowing and growing of yoga across our beautiful planet! 

Here are my thoughts and suggestions:

Choose festivals you like! This may sound obvious, you will be living that environment twenty four hours a day for up to a week or even longer. It makes sense to go somewhere enjoyable where you will be able to relax and have good times.

Initial contact: Email the healing/wellbeing area co-ordinator as well as the workshop co-ordinator to find out who is managing yoga. Larger festivals may have a designated yoga co-ordinator. There is usually a link on the festival website; if not send a mail to the general info address and ask to be put in touch with whoever co-ordinates workshops/yoga/wellbeing. 

When you have a relevant someone's attention; set out your proposal. Emphasize your passion for yoga and teaching, why you are interested in that particular festival and highlight any specialism you can offer. Family and partner yoga as well as beginner yoga are always well received. The more the festival is aligned with principles of mind-body-spirit connection and alternative lifestyle, the more you are able to go deep and offer mantra, sutra, pranayama etc.

A clean carpeted floor is a must!

Apply early in the year, in the UK Feb/March is about the right time to register an interest. Generally speaking, the larger the festival, the greater the level of organisation and pre-planning required. Attach a link to your website. If you don't have a business site I recommend setting up a facebook page or blog for a free online presence so as to present your approach to yoga, training and experience, ideally with photos. Think of it as your cyber CV!

Yoga teachers are expected to carry professional indemnity insurance, recognised teaching qualifications and possibly a clean criminal background check.

Popular events may have a full quotient of regular, returning teachers. Don't be discouraged! You could offer your services as a yoga team support/back-up teacher, teaching assistant or karma yogi. Chances are a gap in the timetable will arise and you will be able to step in! And you are sowing the seeds of success for forthcoming festivals and making connections within the festival yoga community.

Generally, teaching work is unpaid, you get a free ticket in, and time to yourself to enjoy the festival when not teaching. Friends and family will have to buy a ticket.

A quiet, outdoor meditative practice

Be bold and approach festivals that currently have no yoga, organisers may be receptive to introducing it. Be clear about your needs: often there is a general workshop space: will it be suitable? Clean and dry? I don't recommend yoga under the elements, ideally the space is carpeted and designated shoe free. One of my favourite all time venues was a silk parachute draped between trees forming a beautiful translucent canopy and allowing cool air to circulate: blissful!

Mats are usually supplied by the yoga coordinator. Always check in advance. If you are sole teacher and are committed to several festivals, seek out used mats: Contact local yoga studios, teachers, gyms and wellness centres and ask if they are disposing of any used mats, offer to take them in return for a donation to their favourite charity. Call your friends!  You could post similar requests in health food stores and online communities such as freecycle.

Props?  For ease and simplicity I tend to modify my teaching to match the environment. There may be cushions and meditation blocks available if you are working within a dedicated healing area. I once taught inside a tipi strewn with sheepskins!

Fun and exuberance of family yoga!

A typical festival yoga session is one hour long. When I am sole teacher I offer a daily morning class at ten am. If I feel like giving more I may schedule a restorative session late afternoon. 

Decide your policy on children participating, whether you have a cut off time for starting, as folks tend to see things happening from outside and wander in. Yoga can be extremely popular; you may need an upper numbers limit, though it can be fun to spill out onto the grass if the sun is not too fierce!

You have a great opportunity to self-promote. Take flyers, cards etc if you have upcoming events to promote. I always collect email addresses, by circulating a form on a clipboard at the end of each session. Follow up with a courtesy email to the group promptly after the festival to thank your students for attending the sessions and for subscribing.

Other essentials: travel clock, incense and lighter, chimes, leg warmers! A flexible, positive attitude!

I hope that this is helpful, festival yoga is so much fun!

Yoga related questions are always welcome here and on facebook

Namaste

Jennifer