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CATALOG
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Catalog
Everyone sweats. It’s one of the most elemental things a human body can do. And cultures throughout history have celebrated the sweat bath. It has comforted the spirit, healed the body, and strengthened the social bonds between rich and poor, young and old. In Finland, it is known as the sauna. In Turkey, the hamam; in Russia, the banya; in Japan, the mushiburo; in Norway, the badstue; in Germany, the Aufguss, and so on.
Inspired by the book, SWEAT, by Mikkel Aaland, Perfect Sweat takes viewers on a voyage across the globe, revisiting countries and sweat bathing traditions Mikkel documented over 40 years ago. In this six-part series, we travel from Finland to Italy and Germany, to Russia to Japan to Turkey to Norway, ending up in the US at Burning Man for a grand culmination of DIY sweat styles in one locale. Each 30-minute episode features sweat enthusiasts and experts - from steam masters to physicians to entrepreneurs - as Mikkel teams up with local guides in a search of the “Perfect Sweat.”
Episode 1 - Finland
In Finland, saunas are everywhere, and no steam is left unexplored with guide Samuel Aarnio. Mikkel and Saumel island hop by boat, visit old friends for a traditional smoke sauna, and test their limits in 60+ saunas at the Mobile Sauna Festival in Teuva.
Episode 2 - Aufguss
Guide Christine Rose shows us that a sauna is nothing without a show along the Italian-German border, where cultures, languages and fragrant steam-bathing traditions collide. Fierce competition for the World Aufguss championship is sweat entertainment at its finest.
Episode 3 - Russia
Recalling his days in the Soviet Union, Mikkel discovers a new side to banya with guide Anna Artemieva, who shows him how bathing is done in modern-day Moscow and St. Petersburg and beyond. But the banya experience is not complete without visiting a remote forest retreat and taking an ice-cold plunge, post sweat, in the Russian countryside.
Episode 4 - Japan
Mikkel is given a tour of both the
ancient and the modern practices by his two guides, Miki Tokairin and Sho Ikushima. Together
they visit a 700-year-old Kara-furo that is still in use today, experience an immersive exhibit that
combines sweat bathing with taking in artwork, as well as join in on two tent sauna parties, where
participants sweat, jump into a nearby lake, and enjoy nature.
ancient and the modern practices by his two guides, Miki Tokairin and Sho Ikushima. Together
they visit a 700-year-old Kara-furo that is still in use today, experience an immersive exhibit that
combines sweat bathing with taking in artwork, as well as join in on two tent sauna parties, where
participants sweat, jump into a nearby lake, and enjoy nature.
Episode 5 - Turkey
Where cosmopolitan life blends with vestiges of the Ottoman Empire, Elizabet Kurumlu guides Mikkel through the streets of Istanbul, Bursa, and beyond. He meets soldiers, artisans, and a bridal party on a journey to experience the historic and modern-day hamam.
Episode 6 - Norway
Thanks to his Norwegian roots, Mikkel’s love for sweat bathing started with the badstue. Adventuring through Norway with guide Lasse Eriksen, he visits Oslo’s hippest badstues, a fishing boat-turned-spa, and the remote resort of a legendary polar explorer.
Episode 7 - Burning Man
The series closes with an unforgettable journey to Burning Man, a massive art and community festival in the Nevada desert. With guides Teresa Yung and Zack Robertson, Mikkel meets people from far and wide who bring their innovative sweat bath designs to the Playa. From mobile banyas on wheels to steamy build-it-yourself yurts, it’s a grand variety show of sweat bathing culture.
Episode 1 - Finland
In Finland, saunas are everywhere, and no steam is left unexplored with guide Samuel Aarnio. Mikkel and Saumel island hop by boat, visit old friends for a traditional smoke sauna, and test their limits in 60+ saunas at the Mobile Sauna Festival in Teuva.
Episode 2 - Aufguss
Guide Christine Rose shows us that a sauna is nothing without a show along the Italian-German border, where cultures, languages and fragrant steam-bathing traditions collide. Fierce competition for the World Aufguss championship is sweat entertainment at its finest.
Episode 3 - Russia
Recalling his days in the Soviet Union, Mikkel discovers a new side to banya with guide Anna Artemieva, who shows him how bathing is done in modern-day Moscow and St. Petersburg and beyond. But the banya experience is not complete without visiting a remote forest retreat and taking an ice-cold plunge, post sweat, in the Russian countryside.
Episode 4 - Japan
Mikkel is given a tour of both the
ancient and the modern practices by his two guides, Miki Tokairin and Sho Ikushima. Together
they visit a 700-year-old Kara-furo that is still in use today, experience an immersive exhibit that
combines sweat bathing with taking in artwork, as well as join in on two tent sauna parties, where
participants sweat, jump into a nearby lake, and enjoy nature.
ancient and the modern practices by his two guides, Miki Tokairin and Sho Ikushima. Together
they visit a 700-year-old Kara-furo that is still in use today, experience an immersive exhibit that
combines sweat bathing with taking in artwork, as well as join in on two tent sauna parties, where
participants sweat, jump into a nearby lake, and enjoy nature.
Episode 5 - Turkey
Where cosmopolitan life blends with vestiges of the Ottoman Empire, Elizabet Kurumlu guides Mikkel through the streets of Istanbul, Bursa, and beyond. He meets soldiers, artisans, and a bridal party on a journey to experience the historic and modern-day hamam.
Episode 6 - Norway
Thanks to his Norwegian roots, Mikkel’s love for sweat bathing started with the badstue. Adventuring through Norway with guide Lasse Eriksen, he visits Oslo’s hippest badstues, a fishing boat-turned-spa, and the remote resort of a legendary polar explorer.
Episode 7 - Burning Man
The series closes with an unforgettable journey to Burning Man, a massive art and community festival in the Nevada desert. With guides Teresa Yung and Zack Robertson, Mikkel meets people from far and wide who bring their innovative sweat bath designs to the Playa. From mobile banyas on wheels to steamy build-it-yourself yurts, it’s a grand variety show of sweat bathing culture.
Episode 1 - Finland
In Finland, saunas are everywhere, and no steam is left unexplored with guide Samuel Aarnio. Mikkel and Saumel island hop by boat, visit old friends for a traditional smoke sauna, and test their limits in 60+ saunas at the Mobile Sauna Festival in Teuva.
Episode 2 - Aufguss
Guide Christine Rose shows us that a sauna is nothing without a show along the Italian-German border, where cultures, languages and fragrant steam-bathing traditions collide. Fierce competition for the World Aufguss championship is sweat entertainment at its finest.
Episode 3 - Russia
Recalling his days in the Soviet Union, Mikkel discovers a new side to banya with guide Anna Artemieva, who shows him how bathing is done in modern-day Moscow and St. Petersburg and beyond. But the banya experience is not complete without visiting a remote forest retreat and taking an ice-cold plunge, post sweat, in the Russian countryside.
Episode 4 - Japan
Mikkel is given a tour of both the
ancient and the modern practices by his two guides, Miki Tokairin and Sho Ikushima. Together
they visit a 700-year-old Kara-furo that is still in use today, experience an immersive exhibit that
combines sweat bathing with taking in artwork, as well as join in on two tent sauna parties, where
participants sweat, jump into a nearby lake, and enjoy nature.
ancient and the modern practices by his two guides, Miki Tokairin and Sho Ikushima. Together
they visit a 700-year-old Kara-furo that is still in use today, experience an immersive exhibit that
combines sweat bathing with taking in artwork, as well as join in on two tent sauna parties, where
participants sweat, jump into a nearby lake, and enjoy nature.
Episode 5 - Turkey
Where cosmopolitan life blends with vestiges of the Ottoman Empire, Elizabet Kurumlu guides Mikkel through the streets of Istanbul, Bursa, and beyond. He meets soldiers, artisans, and a bridal party on a journey to experience the historic and modern-day hamam.
Episode 6 - Norway
Thanks to his Norwegian roots, Mikkel’s love for sweat bathing started with the badstue. Adventuring through Norway with guide Lasse Eriksen, he visits Oslo’s hippest badstues, a fishing boat-turned-spa, and the remote resort of a legendary polar explorer.
Episode 7 - Burning Man
The series closes with an unforgettable journey to Burning Man, a massive art and community festival in the Nevada desert. With guides Teresa Yung and Zack Robertson, Mikkel meets people from far and wide who bring their innovative sweat bath designs to the Playa. From mobile banyas on wheels to steamy build-it-yourself yurts, it’s a grand variety show of sweat bathing culture.
Episode 1 - Finland
In Finland, saunas are everywhere, and no steam is left unexplored with guide Samuel Aarnio. Mikkel and Saumel island hop by boat, visit old friends for a traditional smoke sauna, and test their limits in 60+ saunas at the Mobile Sauna Festival in Teuva.
Episode 2 - Aufguss
Guide Christine Rose shows us that a sauna is nothing without a show along the Italian-German border, where cultures, languages and fragrant steam-bathing traditions collide. Fierce competition for the World Aufguss championship is sweat entertainment at its finest.
Episode 3 - Russia
Recalling his days in the Soviet Union, Mikkel discovers a new side to banya with guide Anna Artemieva, who shows him how bathing is done in modern-day Moscow and St. Petersburg and beyond. But the banya experience is not complete without visiting a remote forest retreat and taking an ice-cold plunge, post sweat, in the Russian countryside.
Episode 4 - Japan
Mikkel is given a tour of both the
ancient and the modern practices by his two guides, Miki Tokairin and Sho Ikushima. Together
they visit a 700-year-old Kara-furo that is still in use today, experience an immersive exhibit that
combines sweat bathing with taking in artwork, as well as join in on two tent sauna parties, where
participants sweat, jump into a nearby lake, and enjoy nature.
ancient and the modern practices by his two guides, Miki Tokairin and Sho Ikushima. Together
they visit a 700-year-old Kara-furo that is still in use today, experience an immersive exhibit that
combines sweat bathing with taking in artwork, as well as join in on two tent sauna parties, where
participants sweat, jump into a nearby lake, and enjoy nature.
Episode 5 - Turkey
Where cosmopolitan life blends with vestiges of the Ottoman Empire, Elizabet Kurumlu guides Mikkel through the streets of Istanbul, Bursa, and beyond. He meets soldiers, artisans, and a bridal party on a journey to experience the historic and modern-day hamam.
Episode 6 - Norway
Thanks to his Norwegian roots, Mikkel’s love for sweat bathing started with the badstue. Adventuring through Norway with guide Lasse Eriksen, he visits Oslo’s hippest badstues, a fishing boat-turned-spa, and the remote resort of a legendary polar explorer.
Episode 7 - Burning Man
The series closes with an unforgettable journey to Burning Man, a massive art and community festival in the Nevada desert. With guides Teresa Yung and Zack Robertson, Mikkel meets people from far and wide who bring their innovative sweat bath designs to the Playa. From mobile banyas on wheels to steamy build-it-yourself yurts, it’s a grand variety show of sweat bathing culture.
Episode 1 - Finland
In Finland, saunas are everywhere, and no steam is left unexplored with guide Samuel Aarnio. Mikkel and Saumel island hop by boat, visit old friends for a traditional smoke sauna, and test their limits in 60+ saunas at the Mobile Sauna Festival in Teuva.
Episode 2 - Aufguss
Guide Christine Rose shows us that a sauna is nothing without a show along the Italian-German border, where cultures, languages and fragrant steam-bathing traditions collide. Fierce competition for the World Aufguss championship is sweat entertainment at its finest.
Episode 3 - Russia
Recalling his days in the Soviet Union, Mikkel discovers a new side to banya with guide Anna Artemieva, who shows him how bathing is done in modern-day Moscow and St. Petersburg and beyond. But the banya experience is not complete without visiting a remote forest retreat and taking an ice-cold plunge, post sweat, in the Russian countryside.
Episode 4 - Japan
Mikkel is given a tour of both the
ancient and the modern practices by his two guides, Miki Tokairin and Sho Ikushima. Together
they visit a 700-year-old Kara-furo that is still in use today, experience an immersive exhibit that
combines sweat bathing with taking in artwork, as well as join in on two tent sauna parties, where
participants sweat, jump into a nearby lake, and enjoy nature.
ancient and the modern practices by his two guides, Miki Tokairin and Sho Ikushima. Together
they visit a 700-year-old Kara-furo that is still in use today, experience an immersive exhibit that
combines sweat bathing with taking in artwork, as well as join in on two tent sauna parties, where
participants sweat, jump into a nearby lake, and enjoy nature.
Episode 5 - Turkey
Where cosmopolitan life blends with vestiges of the Ottoman Empire, Elizabet Kurumlu guides Mikkel through the streets of Istanbul, Bursa, and beyond. He meets soldiers, artisans, and a bridal party on a journey to experience the historic and modern-day hamam.
Episode 6 - Norway
Thanks to his Norwegian roots, Mikkel’s love for sweat bathing started with the badstue. Adventuring through Norway with guide Lasse Eriksen, he visits Oslo’s hippest badstues, a fishing boat-turned-spa, and the remote resort of a legendary polar explorer.
Episode 7 - Burning Man
The series closes with an unforgettable journey to Burning Man, a massive art and community festival in the Nevada desert. With guides Teresa Yung and Zack Robertson, Mikkel meets people from far and wide who bring their innovative sweat bath designs to the Playa. From mobile banyas on wheels to steamy build-it-yourself yurts, it’s a grand variety show of sweat bathing culture.
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