Aerial Residency Mexico
Creative & Technical Development in Aerial Arts
at Casa Chango Mexico
Come quaran-train with us.
Immerse yourself in aerial arts at our circus retreat center by the beach. Advance your skills, meet your goals, and develop yourself as an artist. Eat delicious, fresh food, learn Spanish, and absorb the tropical climate. Meals, accommodations, activities, and classes are all included.
Working from home? We have wifi!
Culture
Experience Mexican culture in a safe, friendly environment. Learn Spanish too!
Creative Development
Explore the creative process and develop yourself as an aerial artist.
Physical Development
Advance your technical skills, strength & flexibility.
Nature
Swim, surf, waterfalls, hot springs, baby turtles, bioluminescence, and more.
Immersion
Live with like-minded people. Work/study remotely. Eat better than ever!
Accommodations, meals, and classes
We have everything we need inside our Casa Chango Retreat & Training Center facility located 4 blocks from the beach. Accommodations options include a large shared house or a 2 bedroom casita. Classes are held in our beautiful open air gym. All meals are included, and you will never eat so well as when you are here. There is plenty of time to relax, work/study remotely, and enjoy the swimming pool. Spanish classes anyone? We are never in a rush, and we have all the time we need to reach our goals.
COVID 19 – How we create a safe space
Read our complete COVID Policy here.
It is our first priority to make the residency program safe, fun and sustainable, and create a haven for people to feel healthy, active, and productive during this time. We are taking this global situation very seriously, and are enforcing extra safety policies for residency.
- As long as COVID is an issue, our residency program will continue to follow the following safety guidelines. Residents will be a pod and have limited interaction with the local community. Nature excursions, social distancing walks to/on the beach, trips to the river, and outings to local outdoor markets will be approved. We will stay away from local events, restaurants, bars, etc.
- All meals and food will be provided.
- Our gym and community areas are open air, so we have plenty of air flow, space and sunshine. We have nature on our side, and a swimming pool!
- These rules will update according to scientific evidence of the state of the pandemic at any given time.
Your responsibility before traveling to Casa Chango – Fully Vaccinated Participants
- All participants are ENCOURAGED to get a COVID VACCINE before coming to the fall residency. This will help ensure the safety and health of the whole group and our surrounding communities.
- We ask each resident to bring 2-4 home antigen tests to residency. These can be helpful if a resident shows any symptoms of covid. You can find at home antigen tests at most drug stores in the US or order then online.
Your responsibility before traveling to Casa Chango – Un-Vaccinated Participants
- We ask everyone to quarantine as best as possible for 1 week before your trip to Mexico. This means limiting your exposure to other people outside your household and being extra vigilant about wearing masks. This is to lessen the chances of bringing COVID on the airplane and to our community in Mexico and at Sweet Retreats.
- We ask each resident to bring 2-4 home antigen tests to residency. These can be helpful if a resident shows any symptoms of covid. You can find at home antigen tests at most drug stores in the US or order then online.
- We REQUIRE each unvaccinated person to get a PCR test the day before traveling to Casa Chango. You will be required to show your test results upon arrival.
- Residents who arrive unvaccinated are REQUIRED to get and pay for a PCR test locally 5-6 days after arrival to Sweet Retreats. The test costs $1900 MXN / $95 USD. We will schedule appointments for you and take you there.
New arrivals
- Upon arrival residents will go through a 1-2 week newbie period of social distancing quarantine from the rest of the residents and staff.
- During this time we will all act as if one of the residents has been exposed to the virus. You may be asked to wear a mask during community gatherings and classes.
- Meals will be served in our outdoor eating area. Residents can also eat in the pool area.
- The new arrivals must wear masks and keep 6 feet distance from each other at all times during the newbie period.
- During the first week of classes, classes will be kept small. We will share apparatuses, but do our best to share wisely and keep everything clean. Students and teachers will be required to wear a mask.
- Residents who arrive unvaccinated are REQUIRED to get and pay for a PCR test locally 5-6 days after arrival to Sweet Retreats. The test costs $1900 MXN / $95 USD. We will schedule appointments for you.
- When all tests come back negative, residents can integrate into a pod.
- If someone receives a positive test, our covid action plan will begin. The resident who receives the positive test will be cared for. If no symptoms occur, the resident must re-test a few days later.
- Arrival dates. Everyone must arrive on October 10, 2021.
- Although everyone will have rules about leaving the complex, all unvaccinated residents will have to follow stricter rules in order to keep everyone safe and healthy.
- If any resident gets any symptoms that may be COVID, they will be required to get a PCR test at your their cost ($100 USD). You may be required to get more than one test.
- If you get COVID while on residency, you will be required to isolate from the group which may require you to pay for a private accommodation for the duration of the time you are unwell (at least 10 days).
- When in doubt, put on your mask, stay outdoors, and distanced.
- Read more about our COVID policy here.
During this residency, we will have classes for local children on 1-2 days per week taught by one or 2 of our resident teachers. Teachers and students will wear masks, but please note the local children will not be part of our COVID pod.
Video Testimonials
Classes & Training
See what our past residents are saying about the Residency Program
Get a glimpse of the Residency Program
Warning: This will make you want to come.
Living in Community
See about what it is like to live in community at Sweet Retreats.
See more testimonials here.
Aerials. My main driving force to get here—I knew without aerials I would struggle physically and mentally in lockdown. Kerri is the most amazing coach—She encourages everyone to live in their own body, and recognises the strengths and limitations of each person, with no judgement, and a clear focus of how to help you meet your goals. Teaching here is not one-size-fits-all: Kerri tailors training to the individual.
Sallie Chedburn – June 2020
I have already made so much progress in my aerial practice.
I feel confident in exploring new pathways and movements with my body.
I am developing a sense of musicality and performance.
I am starting to break bad habits.
I feel as though I am on the pathway to becoming an artist .
Sample Schedule
Wed/Fri/Sun
7-9:30am Self Serve Coffee, Tea and Breakfast
9:30-11am Flexibility Class (Wed & Fri)
11:15-1pm Aerial Skills Class
1pm Lunch
2-5pm Siesta/Pool/Study
5-7pm Dance, Handstands, Acrobatics Classes
7pm Dinner
Thurs/Sat
7-9:30am Self Serve Coffee, Tea and Breakfast
8:30-10:30am – Open Gym
10:30am-12:30pm Course Program Artistry/Act Creation Class
1pm Lunch
1:30-4pm Siesta/Pool/Study
4-7pm – Open gym
7pm – Dinner
During the Aerial Residency Mexico Program, open training is available whenever there are no other classes in session. The course program has 2 days off per week for resting, open training and exploring! We will bring you to local beaches, nature adventures, hot springs, bioluminescence lagoon, markets, and release baby turtles into the sea!
About the Aerial Residency Mexico program
Creative and Technical Development
Technical Development
Strong Beginner to High Intermediate Level Aerial Students
Course Program
This program is a goal focused circus school style training program for recreational or professionally driven aerial students. We create a welcoming environment for people who want to dive into aerial training and achieve their goals. Students will learn technique and skills, work on their own goals of skill, strength, and flexibility, and have lots of fun! Learn how to train safely and efficiently, make improvements, and take ownership of your aerial practice.
Circus and aerial arts can be applied to any body type. Some bodies adapt to the physical challenges differently than others. This program supports all bodies to build strength and flexibility, and execute tricks with excellent technique for safe and effective training.
The course includes 3 group aerial skills classes and 2 flexibility classes per week. Apparatuses for technical class training include silks/tissu and lyra/hoop with supplementary classes on straps. Students are required to choose one apparatus to focus on in skills class. Open gym is available every day, and aerial jam sessions encourage students to try new things.
Students can also book private lessons with instructors.
Creative Development
Strong Beginner to High Intermediate Level Aerial Students
Course Program
This program is designed for people who want to experience the creative process, develop their personal style, create an act or personal sequence, and be challenged outside of the typical class structure.
Students will transform their technical skills, and work creatively, learning how to make tricks look different, unpredictable, and dynamic. Focus will be on choreography, transitions, musicality, character, emotion, dynamics, personal style, and refinement.
The course includes 2 group classes per week. Students will regularly share their work to receive support and feedback from the group.
In addition to classes students will be encouraged to do their own creative research.
The first part of the program will focus on creative tools, developing personal style, and fluidity, musicality, and improvisation. Act Development will be an optional focus of this course during the second part of the program.
Students will be invited to perform in our online public shows and other video performance opportunities.
Professional Artist Residency
Advanced to Professional Level Aerialists
Open Gym Only
No Classes
This program is for professional and pre-professional aerial artists who wish to further develop their craft in a supportive and immersive environment. Artists must be self motivated and directed.
Each artist receives time in the aerial gym/studio (when classes are not in session), peer support, and the opportunity to show their work in a public setting.
It is the chance for an artist to live their art in a focused way in a relaxed, supportive environment. Here the energy can be dedicated to artistic development, self care, community, great food and the ocean.
This program does not include classes, but residents are encouraged to motivate and support each other. Residents can request private and group classes at an additional cost.
Participants will be invited to perform in our online public shows and other video performance opportunities..
Total Course Program includes 6 weekly classes (3 technical, 2 creative, and 1 flexibility), 3 weekly guided study group training sessions, applied anatomy and injury prevention workshops, and teacher check in.
As part of the program, each resident will be required to do 1-2 hours of community service per week including keeping the living, eating, and training areas clean.
Students will complete a video project showing the work they created during the Aerial Residency Program. There will be performance opportunities throughout the residency to show work.
The course program is best suited for aerialists at the intermediate level wishing to advance their skills. You will leave the program with a better understanding of how to train to get results, create a unique act, develop your own training practice.
New and aspiring aerial teachers will come away from the course program with a comprehensive approach to teaching aerial arts. This program will be a prerequisite for our teacher training program.
Aerial Teacher Training
Students have the option to join our Aerial Teacher Training in addition to the ongoing course program technical and creative classes. The Aerial Teacher Training will focus on teaching level 1 aerial silks, conditioning, injury prevention, anatomy, cross training, basic rigging, and includes plenty of time for teaching practice. We recommend the Aerial Teacher Training for aerial students who do not have to work during the course to ensure plenty of time to commit to the classes. Read more about our Aerial Teacher Training Program here.
Sweet Retreats is always an amazing experience- I’ve been to multiple retreats. I was part of the Fall 2020 Aerial Residency Program which was an amazing experience. I was very nervous about traveling given the pandemic but the COVID protocols Kerri and her team had in place made me feel very safe – social distance and mask wearing where constants the first few weeks. Once we were out of quarantine, we continued to wear masks whenever we left the property/went out into the world.
Sarah Hluchan – Arlington, VA 2020
The residency program was wonderful – the food was amazing, the people were great and the training was wonderful. All of the coaches are great at what they do and provide incredibly supportive classes. Kerri creates a great space for artistic growth and development – I produced a short film during my time there which was a huge achievement for me.
“Kerri imbues her classes with a really sweet combination of focused work, zany playfulness, and an earthy and body-positive sensuality. I walked away from my time as Kerri’s student more capable, skilled, and excited not just about aerial, but about the journey to reaching my goals. I typically have given myself a hard time about a number of things in life. Kerri is skilled and optimistic, is genuinely there for you, and 100% rooting for you. She knows the value of the hard or ugly work, but she knows how to do it in a way that is fun and full of compassion for yourself and your journey. I truly appreciate this woman and friend, and I now know that my time was a workshop on many levels.”
Elizabeth Ferretti – 2019
3 month Course Program includes:
- Ground transportation to/from the Puerto Escondido Airport (PXM) to our accommodations*
- Accommodations for 3 months
- Daily meals
- 6-7 weekly classes
- anatomy and injury prevention workshops
- Open Gym/Studio (when classes are not in session)
- Aerial Teacher Training is offered in some residencies
- Photo shoot (w free access to all photos)
- Adventures to local beaches, nature excursions, and markets.
- 24 hour use of Swimming Pool and wi-fi
- Invitation to participate/perform in virtual public show in December.
- Opportunity to create video art projects
- Impromptu dance parties, pool parties, and hanging out with new friends.
*Airport transportation is available if you arrive/depart on designated days.
Ask us about our significant other and family prices. Space is limited.
If you are a professional and wish to come for the Aerial Artist Residency to develop your own work, please email us at SweetRetreatsdr@gmail.com for information.
Extras:
- Spanish Classes – daily and weekly packages available
- Massage and Acupuncture – $25-$60/hour
- Various nature excursions – $20-$80
- Surfing – packages available
Links for more information
- Accommodations
- Meals and Food
- Travel info – our advice on booking your travel
- COVID Policy
- Testimonials
- Internet Quirks (for people planning to work/study online)
- Excursions
- Aerial Teacher Training
Aerial Residency Mexico Aerial Residency Mexico
Kerri’s aerial artistry workshop was soooooo rewarding! Kerri creates a welcoming, encouraging environment just by being herself, and in turn I was able to let myself be more free, more silly, more open, more EVERYTHING. Just MORE.
Angela Jackson – Halifax, NS. 2017