top of page

It's Fun to Be Wholesome at IRIS

Iris Hong Kong crafted a perfect getaway for people of all walks of life to connect and recharge in its health and wellness festival held in the spacious Nursery Park of Kowloon. Co-organised by Gary Wan Chun-Yiu and Gianni Melwani, the health and wellness event held over the span of two days was packed with an array of 60+ classes taught by renowned instructors from all over the world including Utah Lee, Donovan Ryan, Fernando Junior, Clayton Horton and Dima Apelbaum.

The classes ranging from restorative yoga and meditation to high intensity capoeira and acrobatics were split into a total of 7 different areas, each area holding a specific kind of workout. With a hoop and an array of gymnastic mats, nimble coaches from Trybe, a gymnastic training centre turned heads with their display of strength and acrobatics tricks at the Fitness District. At the main stage, people of all walks of life rolled out their mats and dropped into different variations of yoga poses to suit their body’s abilities.

Zen garden gave room for the crowd to unwind and find their inner peace among towering skyscrapers through meditation and breathing exercises led by experts. Silent Disco Dome hosted various art and music workshops while the newest addition of this year, the PlayGround was a place to keep kids busy while the grown-ups could have their own fun.

Besides a range of fitness classes, this year’s event introduced a hot tech trend - virtual and augmented reality. The crowd was given the opportunity to use VR headset. Who knows, this lone booth just might open the floodgates to other e-sports booths in IRIS in the coming years.

One of the highlights of the day include “Ticket to Bollywood” workshop led by Victor Kumar, a renowned self-taught artist. Along with a couple of dancers clad in sarees, the energetic and cheeky dancer broke down the complicating steps and had the audience twisting their bodies and clapping in sync with the catchy music in no time.

All sorts of goods from romantic candles and soaps to sportswear and fishnet leggings were up for grabs throughout the two days. Giveaways and lucky draws were used to entice the crowd to try out organic and vegan food in a bid to promote healthy eating. Playing their part in saving the environment, IRIS partnered with Urban Spring Waters who supplied drinking water and lent out water bottles throughout IRIS and their Instagram account recorded them reaching half their target on Sunday.

All in all, IRIS was an event filled with sweat and joy. Whether you’re a fitness fanatic or a newbie to the lifestyle, the classes are accessible to all levels. It is a perfect opportunity for one to step out of their comfort zone, try new things and make friends. Who knows, you might just be able to learn a trick or two and bring it home. Better still, find a workout that just clicks with you!

bottom of page