In the heart of Amsterdam and London, a unique experience awaits those seeking more than just a workout. Sanctum classes offer a journey into euphoria, blending mindful movements from practices like Kundalini Yoga, dance and martial arts with music and emotional expression.
These sessions aren't held in typical studios but in the hallowed halls of monumental buildings, fully outfitted with Manduka PROlite® yoga mats. Sanctum revitalizes these spaces, transforming them into venues where participants can tap into pure consciousness and ultimate connectedness.
Read on to learn all about how Sanctum chooses its locations and trainers, how they foster community, about their legendary Frequency Festivals and what their vision is for the future!
Can you describe the atmosphere and setting of Sanctum classes in Amsterdam and London?
Imagine you're being transported into a euphoric state, achieving a natural high through the power of mindful movement, electrifying music and emotional expression. The atmosphere accompanying Sanctum is simply unmatched - it is all about allowing you to tap into pure consciousness evoking a feeling of ultimate connectedness. In order for this intimate experience to happen we need to create a safe space for our participants to open up.
Most class locations are held in monumental spaces like churches across Amsterdam and London, how did you identify the ideal spaces for Sanctum classes? Was there a specific reason for these locations?
There is no religious reason behind selecting churches as our primary locations. By its nature, churches are loaded with high spiritual frequency and a sacred atmosphere. In the past churches played a role to foster a sense of belonging and community. In today's world when most of the churches are empty Sanctum comes in and rather than opening "another fitness studio" we repurpose and re-inject life in the most spectacular monumental spaces loaded with spirituality.
How do you select and train instructors for each location to ensure consistency in the Sanctum experience across different cities?
Selection of instructors, Sanctum Guides, falls into a leg of our company called Sanctum Academy, a scouting, training and motivating body of our best in class talent. As Sanctum works with a unique framework that allows us to retain consistency of our classes while allowing the Guides to bring in a personal interpretation. Funny fact, we rarely work with fitness instructors as our guides, they are mostly musical performers, actors or motivational speakers who have an ability to engage with the public.
What role does community engagement play in each Sanctum location? How do you foster a sense of community among participants?
In the world dominated by disconnection and where loneliness is the new pandemic, Sanctum offers a safe space where one can come and without any judgment express themselves through movement. Sanctum is a place where reconnection with oneself and others happens. Fostering the sense of belonging and community is the most important reason why we exist.
Looking ahead, what are your goals for the growth and development of Sanctum in Amsterdam and London or even in other cities over the next few years?
Our vision is to enrich the lives of 1 million consumers in the next 5 years. This means expansion of Sanctum to new geographies through our church events and festivals but also presence of Sanctum in digital.
What was the reason for you wanting to partner with Manduka as your main equipment?
Manduka is a perfect partner for us as we both come from a place of community cultivation. This aligned purpose creates a beautiful canvas for collaboration and activations. Currently in all our "studios" we use exclusively Manduka PROlite® yoga mats in bespoke design to ensure conformity, safety and elevated experience for our consumers.
Frequency Festival
Twice a year Sanctum hosts Frequency Festivals in both Amsterdam and London, can you tell us how the festivals came about and what makes these different than the signature weekly classes?
Think about Sanctum Frequency Festival as the most elevated Sanctum experience. These are mass events with a minimum 500 up to 3000 participants. The SFF is a collective radical self-care journey combining physical movement, emotional release and spiritual awakening during which we not only introduce Sanctum sequences but we also invite other wellness experts, practitioners and brands to join forces with us for a truly holistic wellness experience.
Are there future plans to expand the festival to more cities? Are there already locations in the pipeline?
We cannot reveal too much at this stage but we are working to bring SFF in 2025 to another 3 cities beyond Amsterdam and London. So please watch this space :-)
Connect with Sanctum
Sanctum classes and festivals are equipped with Manduka PROlite® yoga mats co-branded with the Sanctum logo. Learn more about the Manduka x Sanctum partnership here.
