Nike Well Festival: What To Wait And How To Prepare

by Alexandra Mansilla

Nike Well Festival: What To Wait And How To Prepare

26 Apr 2024

The Nike Well Festival is around the corner (if you haven’t signed up yet — it is time to do it). This huge wellness event is set to take place among the dunes. Wondering what to expect? How to prepare? And how the programme was created? We got all the answers straight from the Nike Well Festival team.

— The first question is about the location. Why did you choose the desert for the festival?

— We considered what people immediately think of when they read the name Dubai: shiny skyscrapers, expansive malls, etc. We want to rejig that perception and take people to a place where they can connect with each other, nature, and themselves. No better place than the dunes.

— Why did you choose Nara Desert Escape?

Many different variables went into venue consideration. Accessibility, capacity, safety, and a blank enough slate for us to transform it.

— What advice would you give to guests who are planning to participate in activities in the desert? Are there any tips or precautions they should keep in mind?

Hydration, hydration, hydration! We will have plenty of water stations on hand and spaces for rest and respite in the shade between sessions.

— We understand that the festival won't take place directly on the sand; you are building a stage. Can you tell us about the size of the stage and any challenges you faced while constructing it in the desert environment?

— There are multiple zones that correspond with Nike Well Collective’s pillars of holistic fitness: movement, mindfulness, connection, rest, and nutrition. Each area is constructed for the experience that is being hosted. Of course, there are challenges, but in Dubai, anything is possible with the right amount of time and determination.

— What is the primary goal or purpose of the festival?

— To introduce our local community to the exciting global shift Nike has made towards a more holistic approach to moving and feeling good, and that if you have a body, you are an athlete. We are bringing in both conventional and unconventional styles of movement in a space that is welcoming for people of all fitness levels. This is also our time to start the conversation on how our local community can keep moving with us. This can be done through a diverse suite of Nike Experiences that are available as a Nike Member — complimentary sessions hosted by some of our region's industry leaders and at well-loved studios.

— The Sanctuary seems to be quite popular. Why do you think sessions like breath, meditation, and sound healing are so well-received?

— There has been a global awakening on how having a more in-tune mind-body connection can enhance your overall quality of life. We have tapped into some of our community leaders in the mindfulness ecosystem to lead a wide range of sessions that covers different aspects of this pillar.

— Can you share the process of creating the festival's program? How did it initially begin, and how has it evolved into its current form?

— Over the years, we have done extensive community and market research into how people are moving. We have cultivated relationships with a range of coaches and trainers who we are proud to have as our session leaders. It was important for us that we respond to our audience's needs while sparking their curiosity in new styles of movement and inviting them to try something new. Outside of solo and team-teach sessions, we have developed a Signature Experience that takes our audience through different movement styles in a 45-minute session.

— The lineup of trainers and wellness experts for the festival is exceptional. Could you provide insight into how the collaboration with each began?

— We think so, too! Each relationship is unique in its own way. Some of the relationships are new, but the majority of our session leaders have been friends of the brand and part of our Nike Well Collective for some time now. So, it was almost a no-brainer that they should be on this incredibly bright global platform!

by Alexandra Mansilla