Around 30 participants of the holistic Hip-hop dance session rocked the wooden floor, shook their hips and moved to the rhythm of the urban music on Wednesday.
They attentively listened to Akim Funk Buddha, the dance teacher, while their legs and arms tried to imitate every single motion the teacher showed them
"Feel the stroke on every parts of your body. Feel it," he said when asking the participants to form a human circle and shake their bodies without destroying the circle.
They giggled and chuckled when their fellow participants made funny movements and gave supporting comments to each other.
The session was one of the numerous event featured in the second annual Bali Spirit Festival, which is held at Purnati Center for the Arts in Batuan, Gianyar, from April 28 to May 3.
Yoga, dance and music enthusiasts will find many people who share something in common at the event as it has six-day programs that feature various kinds of yoga techniques for every level of expertise, dancing and music workshops, as well as nightly cultural performances.
Presenting 29 international yogis and spiritual teachers, as well as 85 art performers, who also conduct dancing and music workshops, the event has lured hundreds of participants, mostly foreigners.
Nala Enright, 37, a circus fire dancer from Hawaii, said she enjoyed the Hip-hop class very much.
"I love dancing. I am good at African dance and Brazilian dance. But I feel I am not good at Hip-hop, so I want to work on it," she told The Jakarta Post.
She was apparently not alone. American Zelice Du Bois, 54, said she took the class for fun before a backache stopped her. "It's great. I like the class," she said, adding that the atmosphere was supportive for beginners.
Balinese dancer I Nyoman Bagus, another participant, said he regretted not seeing more local youth participating in the class.
"This kind of dancing class is actually a good means for us to explore other dances," he said.
The sprawling Purnati Center for the Arts provides many comfortable spots for the participants to sit down on the grass under the coconut trees and enjoy the breeze during a break.
