Radiantly Alive

Radiantly Alive occupies a unique position in Bali's yoga landscape, a jungle-edge sanctuary that has been shaping the international yoga community since its founding by Daniel Aaron in October 2012. What began as a bold vision in Ubud's spiritual heart has evolved into one of Southeast Asia's most respected yoga teacher training centers, now under the stewardship of Rafael Corrochano and Jasmine Dañino, who took ownership in late 2016 after being captivated by the magic of the jungle shala and healing vibes of Ubud. Located on Jalan Jembawan No. 3, the studio occupies an unassuming position along a quiet road just across from the legendary Bali Buda restaurant, yet behind its modest entrance lies a sprawling complex featuring three primary jungle-view shalas plus additional smaller practice spaces, each open-air and designed to immerse practitioners in the sounds of birds, insects, and the nearby river.

The studio's signature offering, RA Vinyasa, represents a distinctive approach to flow yoga: anatomically rigorous yet creatively sequenced, challenging yet accessible, with intelligent progressions that balance strength-building with embodied awareness. Classes here are taught by a rotating cast of 25+ international resident instructors, creating a community vibe that feels less like a drop-in studio and more like a living organism. The lead teacher training faculty includes Kimberley Utama (E-RYT 500), who completed her own training at RA before becoming a beloved facilitator; Joëlle Sleebos, a Dutch-born teacher known for powerful, energetic vinyasa; Niko from Peru, who brings rigor and personal depth to alignment work; and Michael, a Canadian physiotherapist who integrates functional anatomy into every cue. Guest teachers have included luminaries like Simon Borg-Olivier, Kino Macgregor, and Sanna Kokkonen, a student of Pattabhi Jois who teaches philosophy sessions with joyful anecdotes from her time with the grandfather of Ashtanga.

What sets Radiantly Alive apart is its dual identity: it functions simultaneously as a neighborhood yoga studio for Ubud locals and long-term visitors seeking daily practice, and as an internationally recognized Yoga Alliance-certified school that has trained over 900 alumni now teaching in more than 80 countries. The 200-hour and 300-hour teacher trainings run on an intimate scale, capped at 24 students with teams of 5-7 faculty members, and emphasize not just technical mastery but personal transformation. Training days run 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, covering anatomy with physiotherapist precision, philosophy with depth, vinyasa sequencing, and the art of cueing, all woven together in a way reviewers describe as intelligent and embodied rather than rigid or dogmatic. The studio also offers Spanish-language teacher trainings with instructors like Denise and Constanza, making it a rare bilingual hub in the Bali yoga scene.

The Chandra Cafe anchors the community experience, offering plant-centric meals in a cozy living-room atmosphere where students linger between classes. The studio's tagline, "Come for yoga, stay for family", isn't marketing fluff; it's the lived experience of a place designed to foster deep connection through shared sadhana, vulnerability, and the peculiar intimacy that arises when strangers commit to 22 days of intensive training together in the Balinese heat. Alumni reunions in Munich, Barcelona, and Paris keep the global RA family connected, while the online platform extends the jungle shala energy to practitioners worldwide through live-streamed classes and over 425 on-demand videos spanning 18+ styles from Hatha to Qigong.