Online Ashtanga Private Sessions: Practise with Guidance from Anywhere in the UAE

Not everyone can get to a practice room in Dubai. You may live in another emirate, work long or changing hours, travel often, or simply prefer to practise at home. At Ashtanga Yoga Dubai, private sessions take place in Dubai or online, by arrangement. This guide explains how online one-to-one Ashtanga works, who it suits, and how to prepare so that the session is genuinely useful.

What an online private session is

An online session is the same kind of work as an in-person private session: ongoing one-to-one Mysore-style guidance in the Ashtanga Primary and Intermediate series. You practise at your own pace, and the teacher watches, guides and corrects you individually. The focus is breath linked with movement, posture and pacing, suited to your body.

The difference is that the teacher sees you through a camera rather than in the same room. Hands-on adjustments are not possible online, so guidance comes through words, demonstration and careful observation.

Practical details such as the video platform, session length and available times are agreed when you enquire.

Who online sessions suit

Online one-to-one practice works well if you:

• live outside central Dubai, for example elsewhere in the UAE, and want regular guidance without a long drive;
• have a busy or irregular schedule and need sessions arranged around it;
• travel often and want to keep the same teacher and the same practice wherever you are;
• are starting Ashtanga and prefer to learn the basics privately, at home;
• already practise and want someone to look at your Primary or Intermediate with fresh eyes between in-person sessions.

What you work on

If you are new to Ashtanga

You begin with the Primary poses you are ready to practise. Primary is the first series, Yoga Chikitsa. Early sessions usually focus on the foundations: steady breathing through the nose, sun salutations, the first standing poses and the closing sequence. New poses are added when the previous ones are steady, so the practice grows at a pace that fits you. If you want to learn the names of the poses beforehand, the Asana guide lists them in Sanskrit and English.

If you already practise

The teacher works with the series you know, at a pace that fits your body. Intermediate, Nadi Shodhana, is the second series. It is added only when your practice and body are ready, and it is never rushed. Our guide to the Intermediate Series explains how it is usually introduced.

Setting up your space at home

A few simple things make an online session far more useful.

Space. Clear enough room for your mat with some space on each side, so you can step back and forward and lie down fully.

Camera position. Place your phone, tablet or laptop on the floor or a low surface, a few metres from the mat, so your whole body is visible both standing and lying down. A side view is usually the most helpful for seeing alignment and breath. Test it before the session.

Sound. The teacher needs to hear your breathing and you need to hear their instructions. Earphones without wires, or a speaker turned up loud enough, help when you are moving.

Light. Face a window or a lamp rather than having the light behind you, so you are not just a silhouette on screen.

Connection. A stable internet connection matters more than a perfect picture. If Wi-Fi is weak in your practice room, test it in advance.

Temperature. In Dubai, home air conditioning can be very cold. A comfortable, normal room temperature is enough for Ashtanga; the warmth is meant to come from breathing and movement.

Mat and clothing. A non-slip mat and clothes that let the teacher see your knees, hips and spine clearly. A small towel is useful.

Before and after the session

• Practise on an empty stomach. Ashtanga is traditionally practised a few hours after eating.
• Tell the teacher about injuries or health conditions before you begin, and again if anything changes. The practice can be adapted.
• Drink well during the day, especially in the hotter months.
• Practise between sessions. Online guidance is most useful when you repeat what you learned on your own. Even a short practice of sun salutations and the closing poses keeps the thread going.
• Keep notes. Write down the poses you were given and the main corrections, so the next session can build on them.

Keeping a regular practice on your own mat is covered in building a steady Ashtanga morning practice in Dubai.

Online or in person?

Both formats use the same method and the same teacher. In-person sessions allow hands-on adjustments, and the place for an in-person session in Dubai is agreed when you book. Online sessions give you flexibility and consistency when distance or time makes travel difficult. Many students simply choose the one that lets them practise regularly, because regular practice matters more than the format.

If you have some Ashtanga foundation and want to practise with others, the Dubai Mysore pop-up is a shared Mysore-style room for Primary and Intermediate. Dates are announced once the room is confirmed. Pop-up classes are from AED 100 per class and from AED 900 per month (incl. VAT); the final price is confirmed at booking. The private session price, online or in person, is shared on request.

Who teaches

Sessions are taught by founder Nelli Kulikova, who teaches traditional Ashtanga, Primary and Intermediate, in Mysore-style and led classes. She completed a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at Yoga Pattaya Studio in June 2025 (Ashtanga technique, adjustments, anatomy) and a further 200-hour studio training on the Intermediate series in May 2026.

How to enquire

Use the Book page and choose Private. In your message, mention that you are interested in online sessions, where you are based, which times usually suit you, and whether you have practised Ashtanga before. Sending the form is a request, not a confirmed class. Current listings are on the Dates page, and the Shala page explains how practice runs in Dubai today.