From Studio To Festival – Shifting Your Yoga Teaching Style For Events

How To Shift Your Yoga Teaching Style For Events & Festivals 

1. Understanding The Differences

There’s been a larger influx of yoga students in recent years, with participation levels exceeding 34 million in the U.S. in 2023. As a result, different kinds of formats have arisen. The two main ones to differentiate are studio and festival or large-event teaching.

Studio teaching is a regular class-like experience that often happens behind closed doors. The main goal is to foster a community of people who want to hone their yoga poses and skills. Here’s a further overview: 

•  Intimate setting: Teachers and students in a studio setting will likely already know one another, especially with loyal mentees who repeatedly attend sessions. It’s considerably easier to make your rounds, discuss poses, and more.
• Controlled environment: Yoga sessions in a studio mean controlling the temperature and sound. You can curate a cool and calming space with the right factors and minimal preparation. Props for certain poses are also readily available.
• Personal connections and detailed guidance: Deepening relationships with students and imparting plenty of knowledge can be easier for teachers. After all, you’ll see them for a longer timeline due to repeated studio sessions.

Festival teaching can be a new environment. Whether at a community event or a celebration of the practice, you get to meet a higher volume of eager yoga students. Here’s what you may have to face, though:

• Unpredictable conditions: Most festival events will be held in open, public spaces where distractions are much more apparent. Organizers must ensure that the teachers and crowds are safe from inclement weather.
• Mixed-level and unfamiliar students: At festival yoga, teachers will likely encounter students with various backgrounds. Some will have minimal to zero experience with poses, while others may be more experienced than you.
•  Teaching on a stage: Onstage teaching with a mic can give you a broad reach and help you impart much knowledge. Granted, the setting is less intimate than studios and more of a one-way street.

2. Preparing For The Shift  

Once you’ve understood the differences, it’s time to ask yourself about which event you’ll teach at and your primary goals for the space. In a studio setting, you’re more likely to get into building relationships for the long term. Meanwhile, a festival setting means setting up your students for success and enticing them to learn more.

Consider researching your audience and environment in advance, especially if this is your first time dealing with the crowd. Knowing the demographics and settings will help you figure out talking points and language to use when establishing a connection. You can also plan for minimal props and scalable sequences.

3. Adapting Your Yoga Teaching Style

Changing your teaching style after the preparatory stage can be one of the most challenging yet fulfilling steps. Here are some tips that you can use along the way.

Project Confidence And Clarity

Have confidence in your teaching position and your knowledge of yoga. Your students are present because they trust you, and it’s important to showcase that they’re right in their decision with an assertive yet welcoming voice and presence.

It’s imperative to cement yourself as a leader when you’re in a larger group, as you have to command the room and manage the pacing more. Language aside, work on your nonverbal cues like gestures and pose demonstrations.

Create A Thoughtful Sequence Design

Sequence designs should also be adapted to your teaching style. Generally, you can make transitions between poses quicker in studio settings than in festivals. However, you want both to have simple and clear shifts between poses.

If you’re dealing with a more beginner crowd, make sure you have pose modifications to showcase that can make following along easier for them. Yoga should be accessible and fun for everyone, so have those options ready for them.

Manage Energy And Flow

Some people have a misconception that yoga is high-energy and involves overperforming. In reality, it’s about channeling flow. As a teacher, match your energy with the crowd. Remember to pause for collective awareness when transitioning from pose to pose.

You can guide your students through breath-based cues, as it will help everyone get in sync and unify their movement. If any unexpected shifts occur mid-transition, focus on handling them gracefully and getting everyone on the same page again.

4. Staying Grounded As A Teacher

Teaching yoga can require extra mental fortitude, especially since you’re responsible for many people. Consider having personal practices to avoid getting overwhelmed or comparing yourself with others. For instance, those who regularly embody gratitude experience lower depression and anxiety levels. You can also practice self-affirmation.

Meditation rituals before and after your teaching sessions can also remind you of your core purpose with teaching, whether it’s to help others feel more comfortable in their body or attuned with their energy. Breathing techniques and mantras can also help you anchor yourself during the actual class.

5. Foster Connection And Engagement

Whether teaching in a studio or festival setting, engaging your students and capturing their attention is vital. Here are some tips to help you get your lessons across:

Be Intentional In Conversations

Connecting with people is much simpler than you’d think, and it all starts with storytelling. Whether it’s a humorous anecdote or a learning experience, you want to set your intentions about what the crowd can expect from listening to you. Remember to back up your language with a matching tone and gestures.

Encourage the Collective Accordingly

It’s important to praise and encourage your students for the energy they put into following your poses and advice, especially in a larger setting. After all, doing so can help keep the energy up throughout the sequence design. If you’re in a more intimate space, consider honoring individual experiences for depth and recognition.

Invite Stillness To Deepen Connection

It’s okay to make the transition a little longer than usual and linger between the poses. You must also communicate that to your students so that they welcome these moments of stillness rather than feel awkward when they occur. Frame it as a moment to deepen their bond with those around them and their own connection with the practice of yoga. 

Teach With Grace And Consideration

Understanding what teaching style is necessary for the crowd and environment is crucial to making the yoga session a success. Be mindful of who you're facing and exude leadership and wisdom in your presence on the stage, whether in a studio or a festival stage.