Aerial Intensive
at Casa Chango
Aerial Skills, Flexibility, Artistry, Dance, Acrobatics, Performance
Upcoming Circus Residency Course Programs
Circus Residency Mexico
CIRCUS RESIDENCY MEXICO OVERVIEW
Immerse yourself in learning & practicing aerial skills, flexibility, dance, artistry, act creation, floor work, acrobatics, & performance.
Live in a creative, supportive, inclusive community where you can truly be yourself.
Swim in the pool & the sea. Soak in the jacuzzi. Ice baths anyone?
Eat delicious, fresh meals served daily.
Work/study online remotely.
Practice Spanish.
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ABOUT THE COURSE PROGRAM
Circus Residency is a 2-10 week all inclusive intensive for aerial students to learn and develop skills in a disciplined, supportive, inclusive, and non-judgmental environment. The program includes 5 mornings per week of aerial classes – 3 aerial skills classes and 2 creative classes on the floor and on aerial equipment. Each student can choose a primary and secondary apparatus. Other classes include flexibility, dance, floor work, acrobatics, artistry, injury prevention, functional anatomy, ensemble work, improvisation, and conditioning.
The full program has 2 sessions. During session 1, skills classes focus on technical skills, drills, and the foundations of making consistent progress in aerial training. In creative classes, students learn tools for making aerial skills expressive and unique and are supported and guided in creating sequences and ideas as well as developing their personal style. There is a one week break from classes in the middle of the program for students to rest their bodies, practice in open gym, and explore the local culture of the surrounding areas. Session 2 classes build on the work from session 1. Students focus on learning new sequences, practicing and building on their skills & sequences from session 1, and creating solo and group acts for the final show that will be presented to the public at the end of session 2. The last 1-2 weeks of the program focus on show rehearsals.
The program is designed to be a full experience of learning and growth for students. We encourage students to sign up for the full 9-10 week program. There is limited space for the 4 week programs.
OPEN TRAINING & DOWN TIME
Open training in the gym 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! Down time can be spent relaxing by the pool, going to the beach, markets, nature excursions, salsa dancing, bars & nightclubs, creative projects, exploring the surrounding areas, and practicing your Spanish.
If you are a professional artist wishing to use the space for your own creative projects, click here.
Circus Residency Mexico
I cannot say enough how incredible my time at Sweet Retreats was! The training was exceptional, the community inclusive and supportive, the food delicious, and of course the settings were beautiful. The residency program changed my life and I am forever grateful.
Lily Rubin-Miller 2022
Kerri is the best aerial teacher I have ever had!
Julia Glünkin, 2022
Aerial Skills, Technique & Sequences
This is a goal focused, circus school style training program for recreational and professional track aerial students. We create a welcoming environment for people who want to dive into aerial training and make progress toward their goals. In aerial skills classes, students will learn and understand technique, build and link skills to make creative sequences, work toward physical goals, and take their training to the next level.
This program supports building strength and flexibility to execute tricks with excellent technique for safe and effective training for all types of bodies. We encourage students to move at their own pace and listen to their bodies.
Students choose a primary and optional secondary apparatus to focus their training on. Open gym training is available daily.
Students with professional goals can book private lessons with instructors or apply for our Aerial Mentorship Program.
Flexibility, Dance, Handstands, Acrobatics
Ground classes include dance, floor work, flexibility, handstands, Pilates and acrobatics which provide a foundation for aerial work as well as cross training for injury prevention.
Students will learn dance and floor work technique & sequences that will be made into group performance pieces. We also explore improvisation and theatrical ensemble work.
Focus will be on freedom of expression, play, exploring and developing new movement pathways and supporting each student to fully understand and connect with their bodies.
Flexibility classes are focused on active flexibility that will support their aerial and floor work training.
Floor work, acrobatics & handstands classes focus on useful skills for everyone as well as providing support for each student’s specific goals.
Creative Exploration & Act Development
The creative development classes will guide students to explore the creative process, develop their personal style, create an act, and be challenged outside of the typical class structure.
Focus will be on choreography, transitions, musicality, character, emotion, dynamics, personal style, & refinement as well as group collaboration.
We create a culture of inclusion and curiosity and encourage students to explore and lean into their creative ideas and develop their personal movement style. Judgement and shaming are never tolerated.
Theatrical ensemble work, puppetry, and improvisation are integral in creating our group presentations. In addition to classes students will be encouraged to do their own creative research.
Students will be invited to perform in our public show.
INCLUSIVE CULTURE
It is our priority to create a welcoming, inclusive environment for all aerial students. Since all residents will be living in community during this program, it is important that each participant has a willingness and desire to grow as a human. We encourage self-reflection, kindness, & clear communication skills.
Each resident is required to do 1-2 hours of community service per week including keeping the living, eating, and training areas clean, helping with the local kids program, and/or working in the garden.
We support each student to experience a deeper connection with and understanding of their body, and create a safe space for personal expression. Students are encouraged to listen to their bodies, ask questions, and enjoy the process.
Suggested Reading:
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg
Start Where You Are by Pema Chodron
The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley
Listen to podcast about Mastery vs. Success: a conversation between Brené Brown and Dr. Sarah Lewis
Applied Anatomy of Aerial Arts by Emily Scherb
Taking Route to Fly by Irene Dowd
GYM
Prerequisites
The course program is best suited for aerial students at the strong beginner to high intermediate level.
If you are a beginner, please contact us for options.
Silks
- Climbs – Russian or French
- Bent arm hold (upper pull up hold) 10 seconds
- Straddle invert
- Inverted pencil hold
- Catchers lock
- Any foot wrap
- Hip key
Lyra or Trapeze
- Invert – straddle and/or tuck
- Knee hang
- Front hip hang to sit
- Sitting to front hip hang
- Front balance
- Sit to stand on bottom bar
Sling
- Bent arm hold (T-Rex arms) for 10 seconds with feet off the floor
- Hold hollow body for 1 minute
- Pull over to front hip hang from standing on the floor with the sling at face height
- Inversions in the sling from off the floor
- Knee hang
- Front Balance
Circus Residency Mexico
ABOUT YOUR TEACHERS
Artistic Director & Head Coach
Kerri has been performing and teaching acrobatics, dance, and aerial arts for over 20 years. Her life’s work, as an artist and teacher, has been to develop and deepen her study of the body. She has learned that anything is possible with patience, discipline and a positive attitude.
Kerri teaches her students how to own their practice. Focusing on fundamental elements of technique, anatomy, and the physics of movement, her students learn how to train. Kerri goes beyond teaching skills and sequences. She teaches how to identify, alter, and create your own skills and sequences, and best of all how to fully embody the movement of each skill in the most satisfying way for the doer and the viewer. Technique, balance, stability, mobility, movement pathways, creativity, 360 degree movement, musicality, originality, intentional movement, elements of surprise and awe, and a deep connection to humanity is what you will get if you work with Kerri.
Kerri’s technical expertise comes from working with students of all ages, shapes, sizes, and challenges.
You can find Kerri’s performance videos here and Circus Fit free online tutorial videos here. Find Kerri on Instagram @SweetCircusKerri.
Winter/Spring 2024
Lily was born and raised in New York City, and has always had a deep love for all forms of movement. She grew up dancing, training in modern, jazz, contemporary and creative movement. She discovered aerial in 2019 and quickly became obsessed. Lily participated in the aerial silks residency program in winter 2022, and began teaching the Casa Chango children’s program alongside Kerri Kresinski. Under Kerri’s mentorship Lily became an assistant aerial instructor in 2023 and has developed a dance curriculum to supplement the aerial residency courses. She teaches an open level aerial class for the community of Puerto Escondido, and continues to teach in the children’s program. She has a passion for empowering students to explore their bodies and movement and unlock their creativity.
You can find Lily on Instagram @lilacandthebee
Winter/Spring 2024
Mandy Hackman started her performance life as a professional dancer in NYC, where she discovered circus and slid gleefully sideways into the aerial arts. From there after, she continues to dance with various contemporary dance and live arts companies while also creating & performing circus work throughout the US. She specializes in aerial sling, silks, hoop, and rope, bringing a choreographer’s eye to her aerial creations. She is a founding member of Circus 617 and interdisciplinary arts group Hypha, director of circus acts for Double Blind Productions, and has toured her own dance/acrobatic work through her company Tree Project/ Shapeshifter Collective.
Mandy’s coaching incorporates her deep love of efficient movement mechanics. She applies her extensive study of anatomy, kinesiology and somatics to her technique coaching and loves digging in to make that one move just “click.” She has taught applied anatomy for performers at Metro State University in Denver and has coached at studios and festivals throughout the US, including the US Aerial Dance Festival, Excessive Realness Dance Festival, and leading anatomy & body mechanics workshops for Aloft Pro Track. Mandy is currently based in Boston as a senior coach at Esh Circus Arts, and Programming and Curriculum Development Lead at Commonwealth Circus Center. When not in the studio, you can catch Mandy applying that love of efficient, anatomy-led movement to her body inclusive strength and mobility practice All Our Bodies.
Performer website: https://www.mandyhackman.com @shapeshifteraerial
Mobility coach website: https://www.allourbodies.com @all.our.bodies
Summer 2024
Chloe Marvel Light Axelrod (aerial hoop, flexibility), a born and raised San Franciscian, has over 20 years of circus training, and over 15 of circus teaching. She trained with masters of acrobatics such as Mr Lu Yi, and Xia Ke Min, and of flying trapeze Scott Cameron. She has done every thing from doubles on the flying trapeze to sitting on her head in contortion to basing and flying for three high human towers. Chloe’s specialty is aerial hoop on which she has a solo act and a doubles act. In her teaching an performing, she synthesizes years of training, a love for spinning, strong, fierce passion for movement into a whirlwind of virtuosic expertise. Chloe teaches in professional training programs as well as recreational classes in the San Francisco Bay Area. Through teaching and performing she shares the magic of circus all over the world. chloeaxelrod.com Instagram @lishalight
What’s Included:
- Ground transportation from the Puerto Escondido Airport (PXM) to Casa Chango if participants arrive to PXM on the specific arrival/departure dates listed.
- Private or shared accommodations at Casa Chango eco-chic resort. Click here to take a look at your options.
- Daily cleaning service.
- 3 nourishing meals a day, 6 days a week in our beautiful open-air kitchen.Click here to learn more about meals.
- Breakfast: 7:30-9:30am
- Lunch: 1-1:45pm
- Dinner: 7-7:45pm
- Communal space for personal food storage in our kitchen.
- On Fridays you can eat leftovers at Casa Chango or go to town to enjoy local cuisine!
- Use of all community areas:
- Swimming pool & hot tub
- Lounge with couches, books & a movie projector
- Kitchen & dining area
- Amazing 2000 square foot open-air Circus Gym
- Dance studio
- Hammocks for lounging
- Private hiking trail down to the Colotepec River
- Up to 15 Weekly Classes:
- Aerial skills
- Act creation
- Flexibility
- Dance & floor work
- Acrobatics & handstands
- Performance skills
- Anatomy and injury prevention workshops
- Opportunity to create and perform in a live show
- Aerial photo shoot (w access to up to 15 photos)
- High Speed Starlink Internet
- Access to our network of Spanish teachers who provide private or group classes on-site.
- Access to our on-site massage space and network of body-work practitioners for hire who come on-site.
- Recommendations and guidance to enjoy all that Puerto Escondido has to offer. Beaches, nature excursions, tours, surf lessons, networking events, dance classes, and so much more. Click here for an idea of what you have to look forward to.
- On-site events: Expect dance parties, pool parties, and fun hangouts with new friends. It’s never a dull moment at Casa Chango!
Not Included:
- Transportation
- Click here for travel tips and recommendations on booking flights.
- Taxis, ‘colectivo’ shuttles, and motorbike/car rentals make it easy to explore are all available locally.
- Massages, Spanish lessons and other excursions are booked separately and directly with the providers as needed.
Circus Residency Mexi
If you are a professional artist wishing to use the space for your own creative projects, click here.
Work-Trade / Partial Scholarships
Ask us about potential work-trade opportunities.
Links for more information
- Accommodations
- Meals and Food
- Travel info – our advice on booking your travel
- Internet Quirks
- Testimonials
- Weather in Puerto Escondido
- Excursions
- Professional Mentorship Program
- Registration FAQs
See what people are saying about Residency
Circus Residency Mexico
Student Testimonials
Kerri is hands-down the best aerials instructor I’ve ever had. In our retreat, we had some students with 3 months of experience and some 7 years, and somehow she gave us all personalized attention and narrowed in immediately in each of our needs. She has an unparalleled knowledge of the human body and how to create a safe, sustainable aerials practice. Whether you are just getting started, or having been practicing for years, Kerri helps take your practice to the next level and teaches wrap theory in a way that makes learning new moves at any studio more feasible. All her classes are energetic and fun, often featuring easy cardio dance routines that double as specific muscle warmups. After working with Kerri in one residency, I was so hooked I came back for a second. She is a one-in-a-million teacher, who really lives eats and breathes her craft, and it shows!
Sophie Sandweiss, 2022
Doing an aerial residency with Kerri was LIFE CHANGING. She is an amazing teacher, friend, mentor, aerialist. The people I met during the retreat are now lifelong relationships and I feel so grateful for the amount of healing, growth, and change I experienced. It reminded me how delicious and nourishing fresh food can be. I also appreciated the many protein options alternatives available that allowed me to experience a more plant based diet. I really miss eating and living together with our group! :’) I learned an incredible amount about the fundamentals of aerial, developing a daily practice, creativity, anatomy, and taking care of myself during a rigorious training. Training with Kerri has changed my aerial understanding, experience, and life in a way that is indescribable. Can’t wait to return for another residency in the future!
Catherine Wong – 2022
This place is Aerial Heaven on Earth. A warm tropical breeze bringing the crash of ocean waves up to your own open air training paradise, overlooking the river canyon, blessed with fruit trees and kind hearts. This place is strength, sweetness and play. A plethora of options to move, create and grow, balanced with a serene and quiet hammock to rest, a pool for delightful refreshment, nourishment from delectable local natural foods. This place is circus magic, freedom and love. Love for nature, love for movement, love for one another. Freedom to move. Freedom to be you. Freedom to explore the apparatus, the mind, the air. Ask anyone who has been and I trust they will confirm, this place is Aerial Heaven on Earth.
Julie Patrick – 2023
“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
Going on an aerial residency at Sweet Retreats is one of best decisions I’ve ever made. The weather is perfect, the location beautiful and the training is absolutely top notch. But it’s the atmosphere, friendships, jokes and community that essentially make Sweet Retreats a summer camp for adults. Apart from that, it should be mentioned that Kerri, Stu and Erin create the sort of experience you get in a 5 star resort. It’s incredibly organized and well managed. Everything is taken care of, and I cannot remember the last time life was so stress-free.
Nora McFarland, 2021
The gym and conditioning palapa are beautiful, a really special place to train.
The residency program at Sweet Retreats has given me dear new friends and many fond memories. I have learned so much from the coaches and felt supported and seen. Sweet Retreats offers more than just a training opportunity, it is a community and a family. I couldn’t recommend it more.
Erin Bratkovich – 2021
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 is the most amazing coach—She encourages everyone to live in their own body, and recognizes 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 .
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
Read more about our Aerial Teacher/Performer Mentorship Program here.
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