Aerial Escapades Retreat
Silks & Sling
All Levels!
with Sarah Bebe Holmes & Rain Anya of Paper Doll Militia
November 30-Dec 7, 2024
December 7-14, 2024
Casa Chango Mexico
Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca
Half Tuition BIPOC Scholarships have been awarded.
a WEEK in beautiful Mexico – Silks & Sling Aerial Escapades Retreat with new friends, the beach, delicious, fresh, local food, and loads of fun!
Join Sarah Bebe Holmes and Rain Anya for an all inclusive aerial getaway, set on the beautiful beaches of Puerto Escondido, Mexico. Daily classes feature a balanced blend of technique, theory, and creativity. At the end of this epic week of training, you will return home with new, unique sequences along with a deeper understanding of the aerial concepts and theory within the movement.
Paper Doll Militia’s love for creative expression is infused throughout the classes, with theatrical exercises for us to connect with our artistry and develop new ways of being in the air. We will also spend the time and attention needed to clean up pathways and biomechanics, leaving you feeling more confident in your ability to move with efficiency, control, and flow.
Ignite your inventive side, with exercises designed to help you create your own choreographic creations. This retreat incorporates review time each day, so that you’ll be able to fully integrate the concepts learned. With plenty of time to rest and reset by eating amazing, healthy food, swimming in the warm ocean, reading in hammocks, and breathing the tropical air.
This retreat includes 2 daily class sessions. Morning classes will focus on learning new material, aerial theory, and sequencing. Afternoon classes will focus on Vertical Theatre Method, Paper Doll Militia’s unique approach to Theatrical Aerial Arts. This includes exercises around performative concepts, musicality, choreography building, creativity skills, and ensemble work.
All Levels
We welcome people of all levels who have some experience with aerial arts and acrobatics.
We know it can be daunting to join a retreat without knowing how you’ll match up with the other retreaters in terms of experience and skill level. Will it be too challenging? Not challenging enough?
This retreat was intentionally designed using a group structure, to accommodate aerialists of all levels. You’ll be placed in a workshop group that is similar to your aerial level*. The instructors are highly skilled at tailoring the workshops to each level accordingly.
*While we are able to accommodate a broad range of levels, including beginners, the retreat includes 2x daily aerial and/or acrobatics workshops, therefore we discourage attending the retreat if you have never taken circus classes before.
Daily Schedule Sample: Everything is optional!
- 7:30-9:30am Coffee, Tea and Breakfast
- 9:30-12:30pm Warm up, Aerial Skills & Technique
- 1pm Lunch
- 1:30-4pm Pool-time, relaxing
- 3:30pm Ice coffee and sweet treat
- 4-6pm Vertical Theater Method
- 6:30-7pm Beach Play and Sunset
- 7pm Dinner
- 8-10pm Evening Activities
We will take you to our favorite beaches for swimming, surfing, snorkeling, and releasing baby turtles into the sea. There will also be evening adventures to a bioluminescent lagoon & local night market.
A special retreat with the dynamic co-founders of Paper Doll Militia: Sarah Bebe Holmes & Rain Anya
These two visionary leaders have been igniting the aerial scene since 2006. They now live in different countries: Rain in Los Angeles, U.S. and Sarah in Glasgow, Scotland . Though they run the company together, it is for unique projects only that they come together in-person to deliver their wonderful approach to aerial arts, which is creative, quirky and inclusive by nature. Sarah and Rain have toured their original aerial theater productions all over the U.S. and the UK. When they’re not creating new work, they’re helping other artists get the support they need to achieve their dreams, through the company’s educational programs including Teacher Trainings, Retreats, and Specialty Workshops. Their style of teaching is a fusion of interesting choreography, fabric brain dweebiness, and unconventional transitions. Sarah and Rain cultivate an environment where participants discover their creative voice in a safe and supportive space.
Retreat Pricing (in USD):
| Room | Early Bird Price until Aug 15 | Full Price by Oct 30 |
| Shared dorm (gender mixed) | $2050 | $2350 |
| Shared Private room (sharing with a friend) | $2250 | $2550 |
| Private Room w shared bathroom | $2550 | $2850 |
| Private room w private bathroom | $2850 | $3150 |
Full tuition is due by Oct 30, 2024.
Rates refer to cost of one person’s tuition.
Couples must sign up together.
Rates refer to cost of one person’s tuition.
Couples/SO’s are welcome at an additional price.
Half Tuition BIPOC scholarship available.
Apply here.
Prices for Aerial Escapades Retreat include:
- Ground transportation to/from the Puerto Escondido Airport (PXM) to our accommodations
- Nov 30-Dec 7 — Arrive on Nov 30. Depart on Dec 7.
- Dec 7-14 — Arrive on Dec 7. Depart on Dec 14.
- Accommodations for 7 nights
- Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner in our Casa Chango Kitchen
- 1 dinner out at one of our favorite local restaurants
- 2 daily classes
- Aerial Photo Shoot
- Use of Swimming Pool, wi-fi, Hammocks, & all community spaces
- Day trip to a local beach, turtle release, and night market.
Links for more information:
- Accommodations – room descriptions
- Meals and Food
- How to get here. Info and advice on booking your travel
- Testimonials
- Weather in Puerto Escondido
- Sweet Retreats COVID Policy
- Paper Doll Militia COVID Policy
- Excursions
Questions?
For questions about accommodations, meals, and getting to Puerto Escondido, email us at SweetRetreatsDR@gmail.com.
For questions about classes and curriculum, email Rain & Sarah at info@PaperDollMilitia.com.
