What if Yoga's Reinvention Came From Hip Hop?

NEWS | March 23, 2020

Aurélie Louis-Alexandre and Naomi Clément, founders of Flawless Yoga © Flawless Yoga.

Flawless Yoga, Mirz Yoga, XO Urban Yoga, Très Intense Hip-Hop Yoga...Courses mixing yoga and hip-hop are multiplying, bringing even seasoned practitioners a reboot on this ancestral practice.

Doing yoga while listening to hip-hop is a surprising concept, and it's experiencing rapidly growing success. Leaving mantras and relaxing music behind, the movement is revisiting this ancient practice with a chart-topping breath of fresh air. "Hip-hop is an element in itself. It allows people to go inside themselves, into a safe space, within which we can find ourselves again," explains Aurélie Louis-Alexandre, teacher and co-founder of the Flawless Yoga platform, in Paris.

From 90s beats to the abrasive trap of the 2000s, from Childish Gambino to Mahalia, these novel soundtracks are enhancing yoga and illustrating the practice's potentials. While the tunes influence the feel and rhythm of each session, the flows remain largely the same: floor poses, deep breathing, meditation, and held postures are still on the program, helping with balance and concentration.

Celebrating cultural hybrids, hip-hop and R&B yoga sessions demonstrate the creativity and energy of contemporary yogi communities. Pre-natal yoga, bikram, acroyoga, the list goes on. While it's traditionally been taught by a handful of schools, many of whom are also giving online courses at the moment, it's impressive to watch the domain's diversity and group of enthusiasts grow. Thanks to urban music, yoga is attracting loads of new followers, and greater variety in body types and skin colors. "In our classes, you get all kinds of people, not just size zeroes," Aurélie explains. "We're here to help people go further in their self-acceptance and relaxation, and we're learning how to cultivate self-love." Indeed, the movement is following the evolution of our societies towards more inclusivity and a body-positive state of mind.