What’s the story behind Drunk Yoga?

a note from our founder

Okay, so, technically, my lightbulb moment for Drunk Yoga stemmed from a casual conversation at a bar when a friend joked that he needed yoga because he was entirely inflexible. But when he went to demonstrate this, he bent over and touched his toes. “Oh, I guess I can do it when I’m drunk," he said.

Laughing, I replied, “Let’s do Drunk Yoga!” 

It may have felt like a joke in the moment, but my idea simmered. My friend would’ve never considered trying yoga before that conversation, as so much of a typical yoga class comes loaded with expectations for a certain kind of body, background, flexibility, socioeconomic status, perfection and spiritual hypocrisy. In short, yoga can be intimidating, which often prevents would-be yogis from ever trying it.

What most people don’t know is that even before this fateful interaction in 2017 in the back of bar in lower Manhattan, I had already been experimenting with various ways to break down the “4th wall” in yoga classes–(you know, that imaginary social contract we adhere to situated between the audience/students and the performer/instructor…the one that keeps us from saying, “Great, how are you?” when the teacher asks, “Hey everyone, how ya doing today??”).

Equipped with a BFA in Acting from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and years of experience teaching yoga and storytelling classes worldwide for both adults and kids, I wanted to figure out a way to create a new, unconventional way to teach yoga that makes us want to engage with one another. I had a hunch that leveraging the power of play was the key. 

So, I thought, what better way to make yoga more accessible than by turning it into an entertainment experience by infusing it with the social ritual of a happy hour/morning coffee (or whatever beverage makes you happy!) plus games, icebreakers and cheeky music? Lose your balance? Take a lil’ sip. Mix up your left and right foot? Say something you’re grateful for. Spill your drink on your neighbor’s mat? Give ‘em a high five and a compliment! If you can believe it, we don’t want you to get drunk on wine. Truly. We want you to get drunk on the feeling that comes with experiencing joy through belonging. Instead of feeling awkward when you’re “less than perfect” in our yoga events, you feel empowered by a new group of friends to cheer(s) you on. Like one big yoga party where everyone’s invited.

When Drunk Yoga went hashtag viral, I was delighted that this crazy little idea blossomed into widespread interest. Sure, it came with some hate mail. But it also came with a lot of people trying yoga for the first time, and yogis falling in love with the heart of the practice all over again. Not because of a couple of glasses of wine, but rather a new–albeit subversive–perspective. Our mission is to inspire joy, cultivate community, and bring you back to yourself.

We also realize that our community is extremely fortunate to have access to yoga. So, we regularly donate to organizations who both provide yoga to populations that wouldn’t otherwise get access to it, and to organizations that foster joy through self-empowerment. By finding your joy with us, you are directly helping someone else find theirs, too. #drunkoncommunity

More questions? Pop on over to our FAQ page. Know a community in need who could use a little uplifting? Let us know!