By Leanne Mirandilla | August 26th, 2019
Hailing from Poland, Aleksandra Milewicz is a yoga teacher and founder of outdoor aerial yoga studio Bamboo Yoga. She also documents her yoga adventures on Instagram at @bamboo.yoga and @aleksflows.
What do you do?
I am a yoga teacher and entrepreneur. In 2017, I started Bamboo Yoga and it has been growing ever since. I also travel as much as I can — that’s how I stay creative and inspired to share yoga with my students.
How does your business work?
It is a unique concept of aerial yoga outdoors, namely on the beach. We practice suspended from bamboo tripods set up over the water. The bamboo poles are incredibly strong, so they create a stable structure to support you hanging in an aerial hammock while you enjoy the sound of the waves and the breeze from the ocean. It is truly a magical experience and I cannot get enough of it. Every time I get to see our students glowing with joy it reminds me why I do what I do.
How did your business get started?
During my transition from a corporate job in the fashion industry to health and wellness, I traveled and taught yoga in Thailand, where I did an aerial yoga teacher training. I knew I wanted to do something purposeful and meaningful that would bring people closer to nature, connect with their bodies, and take them out of their comfort zone whilst giving them all the physical and mental benefits of yoga. In the competitive Hong Kong landscape, it had to be something new, exciting and fun, as well as very Instagrammable. Bamboo Yoga ticked all the boxes and became a success.
Who are your clients?
Mostly yoga enthusiasts, but I get newbies intrigued by this concept on a regular basis. The best thing about Bamboo Yoga is that it’s for everyone. Whether you’re flexible or not, you will benefit from this kind of practice in many ways: increased endorphins from inversions, decompressing the spine, anti-ageing from reversing blood flow, stretching out the whole body, and building strength, flexibility and stamina. It is also an amazing team-building activity, so I have many private groups, from corporates to friends celebrating birthdays, bachelorettes, and Mother’s Days.
What’s a day in your working life like?
On weekends, I teach a beginners’ aerial yoga class in a studio followed by an easy and scenic hike to Sai Wan beach, which I call my office. We set up the tripods and do a quick warm up before practicing the newly learned poses over water. I think it is the most beautiful beach in Hong Kong. It makes me feel like I’m in Thailand, far away from the city’s hustle and bustle. The vibe there is really laid back and it’s close to a beautiful waterfall, which is the perfect ending to the day. After that, we take a speed boat to enjoy a different side of Hong Kong on the ride back to Sai Kung.
Aside from managing Bamboo Yoga, during the week I teach regular mat Vinyasa flow classes and have a couple of other side projects, all in health and wellness.
Where do you see your business in the future?
Going out to the world, which is already happening! I am hosting my first retreat in Phuket, which is very exciting. I want to organize more retreats in Asia—in Thailand, Bali, Vietnam, and the Philippines—and in other parts of the world such as Australia, Morocco or Mexico. My next step to grow Bamboo Yoga is to launch a teacher training program to pass on the method and expertise to other teachers.
An elevator convo with Aleksandra Milewicz. See here for more from our Next Up series.
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