Dynamic Motion Retreat Edition
Aerial Hoop & Trapeze Retreat
Casa Chango in Puerto Escondido, Mexico
Instructors
Iliana Atamaniuk & Nicolàs Stocco
March 22-29, 2025
Spend a week in paradise with new friends, the beach, delicious food, Aerial Hoop & Trapeze!
On this retreat you will learn and discover many things about trapeze and the aerial hoop. You will also have the chance to train with 2 amazing coaches who have been working for years to develop their technique and vision of aerial and how to be able to work safely for your body and mind. We will always have a warm up, different every day so you can learn many things. We will train aerial in a technical and creative way.
At the end of the retreat we hope you will find something within you that you love and to keep working on ! At the end of the day we will stretch, meditatively all together ! Of course we will spend more time together, so you will get to know us and we will share lots of memorable moments together.
When you aren’t training, you’ll be eating amazing, healthy food, lounging at the pool, swimming in the ocean, reading in hammocks, and enjoying being in nature. Optional extras include nature excursions and trips to the beautiful beaches of Puerto Escondido. Get ready to move, play, breathe, feel, stretch, and express. At Casa Chango you are invited to shine and be yourself!
This retreat will have 3 daily classes –
We will start our mornings with an active, dancing, enjoyable, fun warm ups mixing cardiovascular, strength, mobility, acrobatics movements. We will as well offer many tips and drills to do on the floor to prepare your bodies for an aerial activity. On the apparatus we will work the technical movements.
In your afternoon classes, we will bring you everyday something to learn on the aerials but also reviewing the work we have made the day before. We will go from dynamic, static, spinning movements to then be able to create sequences that are your own!
In the evening we will offer guided improvisation work on the apparatus to help you free yourself and find what YOU like to do in the air!
Skill Level & Prerequisites
This retreat is appropriate for aerial hoop & trapeze students at the intermediate/advanced level who are ready to learn dynamic principles. Please come if you have at least a year of regular practice on aerial hoop or trapeze and that you can handle a full week of training circus. You should be able to easily invert in the air. Ability to do one pull up is helpful.
Daily Schedule Sample: Everything is optional!
- 8-9:30 am: Coffee, Tea and Breakfast
- 10am-1pm: Warm up and morning session
- 1pm: Lunch
- 1-3:30pm: Pool-time, siesta, relaxing
- 3:30pm: Afternoon ice coffee & sweet treats
- 4:30-6pm: Afternoon class session
- 7pm Dinner
- 8-10pm Evening Activities and Guided Improvisation
We’ll take you to our favorite beach for swimming, surfing, snorkeling, and releasing baby turtles into the sea.
Space is limited, so sign up now!
Your Teachers: Iliana ATA & Nicolàs Stocco
Iliana ATA is a circus artist specialized in aerial Hoop, she has been graduated from the professional circus school in Brussels, ESAC. For the passed 12 years she has been training, performing with this apparatus and since 2021 she has been travelling the world to be able to share her experience and point of view about this apparatus but also aerials in general and the dynamic techniques. She has formed herself in hanging : how to hang with your hands while being in a total relaxed mindset and building strength and endurance at the same time. She is also a dancer and always brings it to her work.
You can find her on Instagram at @ilianaaata.
Nicolàs Stocco is an aerialist from Argentina specialised in trapeze, aerial hoop and swinging trapeze. He developed his own methodology of training circus called “Harmonic Motion” with which he is travelling the world giving workshops since 10 years in Europe and Latine America. He also works as a coach in professional schools like : Esacto lido, ACAPA, CODARTS and CARAMPA.
You can find him on Instagram @Nicirco
Retreat Pricing (in USD):
| Room | Early Bird Price until December 1, 2024 | Full Price |
| Shared Dorm (gender mixed) | $2000 | $2300 |
| Shared Private Room w Shared Bathroom (2 friends sharing a room) 1 king size bed or 2 individual beds | $2200 | $2500 |
| Shared Private Room w Private Bathroom (2 friends sharing a room) 1 king size bed or 2 individual beds | $2300 | $2600 |
| Private Room with Shared Bathroom | $2500 | $2800 |
| Private Room with Private Bathroom | $2800 | $3100 |
| Private Room with Private Bathroom and Air Conditioning | $3100 | $3400 |
Full tuition is due by February 1, 2025.
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.
What’s included:
- Ground transportation to/from the Puerto Escondido Airport (PXM) to our accommodations*
- Arrive on March 8. Depart on March 15.
- Accommodations for the duration of the retreat
- Daily meals – breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert & snacks
- 2-3 Daily classes
- Aerial photoshoot
- Evening activities
- Trips to local beaches, baby turtle release, and night market
- 24 hour use of Swimming Pool, Jacuzzi, and Community Spaces
- High Speed Starlink Wifi Internet
- Evening Jacuzzi soaks
Student Testimonials
“I have already attended three of Iliana’s workshops and every single one was great.
It starts with a varied warm-up that includes everything from strength training to improvisation exercises. Iliana’s signature moves on the ring are particularly impressive and she manages to break down complex movements into individual parts so that there is something for everyone.
Recommended 12/10 😉 I will be there for the next one ”
“Working with Nico has been such a rewarding experience. His coaching consists of not only technique, but also has such a healthy approach with discipline and listening to your body. He will push you to your limit without exceeding it and knows how to maximize your time by training different skills instead of breaking your body training one thing into exhaustion. He’s got such a beautiful style and technique! It’s genuinely been such a pleasure learning from him. I really couldn’t recommend him enough!”
“The aerial workshop was both interesting and intense, lasting several hours without ever becoming boring. The group was large enough to allow us to learn from each other without becoming too tired.
“Our instructors, Nico and Iliana, demonstrated exceptional technique and took the time to explain everything clearly, ensuring everyone gained valuable skills. You could also see how good those two work together and add up to ech other. I ’ve attended several of these workshops with them and can’t wait to join the next one. The welcoming atmosphere made it a positive and inspiring experience, leaving me feeling motivated and wanting to train and achieve all the things they taught us.”
“Geniuses! Dynamic Motion is a super well prepared and executed dynamic trapeze and hoop workshop with proposals for all tastes. Both Ile and Nico are geniuses as teachers and, also, as artists. Thanks to their advice and their good eye, one begins to understand one’s body better and better. I managed to do several things that I never thought I could do 🙂 and, above all, I felt well cared for at all times. A source of warm-up techniques, breathing and tools to better understand fluid and dynamic movement on aerial apparatus without hurting yourself and wasting energy. Highly recommended. For students and, also, for other teachers. I loved it and I will surely sign up for more seminars with these beauties.”
“Iliana has a special way of teaching, she is very empathetic and authentic while teaching and has a good eye for details and what can be improved. The workshop gave me the opportunity to improve my own style as well as to learn Iliana’s signature moves. She also takes a very individual approach to everyone and can always give you a new perspective on things, moves and combos. I’ve been to a few hoop workshops and hers was one of the best I’ve ever been to.”
“A workshop to take home” The experience in Nico and iliana’s workshop was really good. The organization of the content and the working dynamics helped to profit and to hold on physically until the end. The warm-ups, each with their own style, gave various ideas and perspectives to each student to be able to put them into daily practice. In the development of the technical part, they have been able to adapt the complexities to each participant, so that they have the tools and/or adequate guidance when implementing the practice of the same. In general, the workshop is a great time, both at a learning and social level. Highly recommended!”
What People Are Saying About Sweet Retreats:
For years I fantasied about leaving my daily reality to go train circus all day while living in community, being in the sunshine and not have to worry about food. I had that all with Sweet Retreats. I just completed a month of high class training, incredible food, sisterhood, dance, nature adventures & so much more that cannot be put into words.
The coaches are the real deal and trust me when I say you will be taken with the utmost care not just physically and in regards to your circus goals, but emotionally and even spiritually if you desire. It’s a circus experience for you that can truly be transformative, healing or intensely physical. The experience is crafted by you, held by an array of extremely qualified and caring professionals who are passionate about self expression, play & community.
If you are thinking about attending one or are on the fence trust me when I say you should absolutely invest in yourself. I cannot recommend Sweet Retreats enough. You’ll grow as a circus artist and person in ways that you can’t imagine.
Luna Mammon 2024
I truly don’t have enough words to describe how positive this experience was for me. I came to Sweet Retreats hoping to gain strength and endurance on the silks as well as improve my flow and sequencing in the air. I ended up leaving with so much more than that! Not only did I make substantial progress toward my goals, but I left feeling intrinsically connected to the art of aerial, dance, expression, and creation. Kerri creates such a special environment that nurtures growth and liberation, and that truly allows you to come into your own as an artist. I discovered that through being immersed in this incredible community, the aerial classes, the silliness, the improvisation and creative exercises, I unmasked a confidence to explore my art and express myself in a way that felt healing and inspiring. This was a invaluable gift from this experience that I will hold on to forever.
I could not recommend this special place enough for anyone who wants to feel the magic of circus and community.
Kristine Westergard
Sweet Retreats was so much more than I expected! I knew it was going to be an amazing experience, full of friends, circus arts and nature, but where they also really went above and beyond was the retreat center and the food and hospitality! Such a comfortable space for relaxing and enjoying the views. We had options for Eco-adventure excursions throughout the week! This place is a must see because they hit all aspects of a retreat and learning experience at a top tier!
Tailor Pollak
Questions? Email us at SweetRetreatsMexico@gmail.com.
Links for more information:
- Accommodations – room descriptions
- Meals and Food*
- How to get here. Info and advice on booking your travel to Puerto Escondido.**
- Weather in Puerto Escondido
- Testimonials
- Excursions
Discounts
- Sign up early to get the Early Bird Discount
- Sign up on our mailing list to find out about more discounts.
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