The Dubai Mysore Pop-up: A Practical Guide to Ashtanga in a Shared Room

Ashtanga in Dubai at Ashtanga Yoga Dubai runs in three ways: one-to-one private sessions, online sessions by arrangement, and a shared Mysore-style pop-up room. The pop-up is the format people ask about most, because it is the closest thing to a traditional Ashtanga shala that currently runs here. This guide explains what a pop-up is, who it suits, how dates are announced, and how to prepare so that your first morning in the room feels calm rather than confusing.

What a Mysore pop-up is

A pop-up is a shared Mysore-style room that opens for a set period once a venue is confirmed. There is no permanent studio yet; the shala page describes practice in Dubai today as pop-up, private and Mysore-style, with a shala planned for the future.

Inside the room, practice follows the traditional Mysore method:

Everyone practises the same fixed sequence, but each student is at their own point in it.
Each person moves at the pace of their own breath, not to a group count.
The teacher works with students individually, giving cues, adjustments and new poses when a student is ready.

So a pop-up is not a "class" in the gym sense, where the whole room does the same pose at the same moment. It is a quiet room of people doing their own practice, with a teacher moving between them. Nelli Kulikova, the founder, teaches both Mysore-style and led classes; you can read about her background on the teacher page.

Primary and Intermediate in one room

Both Ashtanga series are welcome in the pop-up:

Primary Series (Yoga Chikitsa): the first series, with sun salutations, standing poses, seated poses and a closing sequence.
Intermediate Series (Nadi Shodhana): the second series, added only when practice and body are ready. As the site puts it, it is never rushed.

Because each student practises their own sequence, a person on their first weeks of Primary and someone working through Intermediate can share the same room without anyone being held back. If you want to see the poses before you arrive, the Asana page lists every pose of both series in Sanskrit and English, and the Primary Series page walks through the first sequence pose by pose.

Who the pop-up suits

The site is clear about this: pop-up rooms suit students with some Ashtanga foundation, or a willingness to learn patiently.

In practice, that usually means:

You already know at least the beginning of Primary, such as the sun salutations and some standing poses, and can move through them without being talked through every step.
Or you are new, but happy to start small. In a Mysore room a beginner may practise only a short part of the sequence at first and add poses over time.
You are comfortable with quiet, self-led practice. There is no music and no instructor calling poses for the group.

If you have never practised Ashtanga at all, the recommendation on the site is to begin with private sessions. One-to-one time lets you learn the opening of the sequence, the breathing and the basic rhythm, so you arrive at a pop-up already able to practise on your own. The beginner's guide covers those first steps in more detail.

How dates and venues are announced

Pop-up dates are not fixed months in advance. The process works like this:

A venue is confirmed. Dates are announced only once the room is secured.
The waitlist hears first. Details go to the waitlist before they appear anywhere else.
The venue is shared together with the dates. Locations are not published ahead of time.

That means the most reliable way to get a place is to join the waitlist through the booking page. There is no login or external booking system on the site. Sending the form is a request, not a confirmed class. Current listings, including the pop-up and private sessions, are always on the dates page. How practice runs in Dubai today is on the shala page.

Practical details for a specific pop-up, such as the start time of the morning practice, the exact address and parking, are shared with confirmed students.

Prices

The Dubai pop-up has published from-prices (incl. VAT):

Drop-in class: from AED 100 per class
Monthly: from AED 900 per month

The final price is confirmed at booking. These prices apply only to the pop-up. Private sessions have no published price; it is shared on request.

How to prepare for your first pop-up morning

A Mysore room has its own rhythm. A few simple habits make the first visit much easier:

Arrive with an empty or nearly empty stomach. Ashtanga is traditionally practised in the morning before eating.
Bring your own mat and a small towel.
Wear close-fitting clothes so you can move freely and the teacher can see your alignment.
Enter quietly. Others may already be practising. Set up your mat, take a moment, and begin with Surya Namaskara A when you are ready.
Tell the teacher about any injuries or health conditions before you start.
Practise only what you have been taught. If you do not know the next pose, stop there and wait; the teacher will come over.
Finish properly. The finishing sequence and a few minutes of rest are part of the practice, not an optional extra.

If you want a fuller picture of what the room feels like from the inside, read Mysore-style Ashtanga in Dubai: what to expect.

Pop-up, private session or online: which to choose

Each format serves a different need:

Pop-up: a shared Mysore room with a traditional rhythm, for students with some foundation. Dates are limited and announced to the waitlist.
Private sessions in Dubai: ongoing one-to-one guidance on breath, posture and pacing. The best place to start if you are new, and useful for refining Primary or Intermediate. The place is agreed when you book.
Online sessions: the same one-to-one approach by arrangement, for when travel or schedule makes in-person practice difficult. More on this in online Ashtanga private sessions.

Many students combine them: private sessions to build or correct the practice, then the pop-up for the energy of a shared room. The sessions page sets out the differences side by side.

Next step

If the Mysore pop-up sounds right for you, join the waitlist on the booking page and keep an eye on the dates page. How practice runs in Dubai today is on the shala page. If you are just starting out, book a private session first, learn the opening of the sequence, and come into the room when you feel ready.