Sisters in Life:
(part 1 of 2)
About family, creativity and the birth of rasalila
Celebration, community and connection are at the heart of rasalila. But how did it all begin? In this first part, Willemijn and Floortje Laan, co-owners of rasalila, talk about their bond as sisters, their shared curiosity and how rasalila eventually came to life.
How would you describe each other as sisters?
F: “Willemijn is a multitalented person. Very creative, a real go-getter. She has a groove, a kind of swing.”
W: “Swag!” (laughs)
F: “She’s also incredibly good with numbers. Loving. Passionate.”
W: “Floortje is truly a performer, while at the same time being a huge introvert. That’s such a fun combination. Sometimes she pretends she doesn’t really have an overview of the business side of things, and then suddenly she comes up with amazing ideas.”
W: “When I completely get stuck, I know I can always go to her. Somehow, there’s often a breakthrough after that. She’s kind and creative.”
What defines your bond?
W: “Creativity has always been at the core for us, that’s where we really connect. Without that, we wouldn’t have this business..”
F: “We share the same kind of curiosity about life. About interactions and connections. Together we create connection and continue nurturing it.”
W: “And we talk about those things a lot too. About people, about what we see happening around us. Our energy really flows through the studio. People feel seen.”
W: “That curiosity is woven into everything. The Guidance sessions I give are actually a very literal translation of what we ourselves are exploring on an every day basis.”
Have you always been close?
W: “Yes, actually, we have. I don’t remember us fighting a lot as kids.”
F: “Otherwise we probably couldn’t work together.”
W: “There’s three and a half years between us, and when we were younger, I was coming along with Floortje and her friends when they went out. Or we’d be washing dishes together in the kitchen while Floortje taught me the cha-cha.”
What is something people don’t see, but is very typical for you both?
W: “The contrasts. Floortje is on stage, but very introverted outside of it. I’m actually the opposite.”
F: “And secretly, Willemijn is actually a really good dancer!”
W: “I just don’t want to show it on stage. I prefer dancing in a club.”
Where did the idea for rasalila begin?
W: “rasalila officially exists for seventeen years now. Our mother once said: maybe the two of you should start a business together. She already saw early on that we complemented each other”
F: “I had just graduated in fashion and lingerie design and was working in theatre. At the same time I was teaching fitness classes, those BBB and shape-style classes. But I didn’t really enjoy constantly cycling all over the city to teach them.”
W: “I had just decided I wanted something different career-wise. Back then, I worked as a marketing and communications advisor. We were sitting in Vondelpark when the idea came up: our own studio. Floortje would focus on the creative content, while I would focus more on the business and marketing side.”
W: “At first we rented a space for just a few hours at Meneer de Wit, actually across the canal from where we are now. After six months or so we started renting a classroom in an old school building in Bos en Lommer. Our own place! That white cabinet we still have in the hallway today was used there as a divider with a changing room behind it.”
F: “After two or two and a half years in the classroom we wanted a place with two studio spaces, partly so we could both make a living from it. That’s when we moved to the location we’re still in today.”
What inspired you to do this?
F: “Our mother’s creativity. And Willemijn and I travelled to New York together, where we discovered the acroyoga and aerial yoga scene. A friend of mine who owned the yoga and aerial studio Om Factory in Manhattan told us: ‘You should bring this to Amsterdam too.’”
W: “It really started from what Floortje was already doing and the challenges she ran into.”
F: “We started with acroyoga and pole dancing, and from there it just kept growing. There was a need for a place where people could truly connect. Not a busy nightclub, but something different.”
When did you notice a real community was forming?
W: “Actually pretty quickly. Even back at Meneer de Wit, where we stayed for a short while.”
F: “When people themselves started asking: when does the next course start? And when they started meeting up with each other outside the studio too.”
W: “It’s often in the small things. When you notice people are genuinely involved in what you’re creating.”
F: “Or when people come back after years. Or write cards sharing their experiences, there’s actually one lying in front of me right now! Always very special”
W: “A lot of people say it feels like a second home. That’s such a compliment to me.”
F: “We meet people where they are. And from there, joy, confidence and growth emerge.”
How would you describe rasalila in one word?
F & W: “We had already looked at this question beforehand and we both immediately said the same thing: ‘Magic.’”
We’d love to see you in class!
Love, rasalila