Tropical Straps Party
STRAPS
with Handstands, Rope & Sling
Casa Chango in Puerto Escondido, Mexico
Instructors: Aaron Koz and Garrett Schniewind
February 8 – 15, 2025
Spend a week in paradise at our tropical straps party!
This retreat is for anyone who wants to level up their skills on straps and have an immaculate time with other straps lovers in Mexico.
Students will walk away with an incredible volume of content related to spinning, swinging, sequencing, and c-shaping skills. A recent attendee of a straps retreat said, “the vibe was probably the most chill. I haven’t been to a lot of previous retreats, but the material taught was definitely some of the highest volume of new stuff for me at a retreat I’ve been too :)”
In this retreat, occasionally other apparatus will be used to highlight different ways of training the same movement pathways because #itsthesame (when it comes to c-shaping, spinning, and swinging), and because there are ways in which training the same pathways on rope/sling can help increase potential success on straps.
The handstand portion of the retreat with be approachable for all levels. We will cover everything from basic 2 arm technique, shapes, and entries to presses and even one arms if that is something you want to work on. All supported by specific strength, flexibility, and technique drills tailored to you and your handstands goals.
Afternoon classes will sometimes include pedagogical discussions around elements like equipment-less ground conditioning, the theory behind resistance training for aerial, training planning (aka periodization for aerial), the neuropsychology of aerial training, injury risk-reduction techniques, and more.
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 a night time epic photo shoot. 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 2 daily classes –
In the morning start your day off right with…coffee and straps!
- The morning session will typically start with an introduction of a concept, then dynamic drilling on straps. Once power output has gone down (how long will the coffee last?!), we’ll shift to lower intensity movements or supplemental drills on other apparatus.
- During the break between classes, expect to play goofy/fun games, swimming, napping in the sunshine, and conserving energy for the next class 😉
In the afternoon:
- Classes will begin after your siesta chill time with a brief warm-up (and some hydration) then jump into either sequencing, more dynamics (swinging/spinning), drops, and/or some supervised individual training time (dependent on group energy levels).
- This session will also deep dive into different conceptual discussions to support your development and growth as an aerialist (and human!).
Skill Level & Prerequisites
Participants should:
- Multiple straight arm inversions
- Proficiency in skin-the-cat
- Familiarity with basic beat pathways
- Basic experience with meathooks on any apparatus
- Basic experience with c-shaping on any apparatus
- For handstands, all you need is healthy wrists and shoulders, the ability to kick up to the wall, and a willingness to stare at the floor for an uncomfortable amount of time.
Daily Schedule Sample: Everything is optional!
- 8-9:30 am: Coffee, Tea and Breakfast
- 10am-1pm: STRAPS TIME; drills and technique
- 1pm: Lunch
- 1-3:30pm: Pool-time, siesta, relaxing
- 3:30pm: Afternoon ice coffee & sweet treats
- 5-6:30pm: More Straps! Sequencing, dynamics, individual projects, and theory discussion
- 7pm Dinner
- 8-10pm Evening activities
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 Coaches: Aaron Koz & Garrett Schniewind
Meet Koz: Aerial straps & performance coach with a decade of international circus and aerial coaching experience. From Antarctica to Cirque Du Soleil, Koz has taught and trained hundreds of coaches and thousands of students worldwide using an inclusive, fun, and science-based approach. Prior to retiring as a performer, Koz performed for audiences ranging from the Saudi Arabian royalty in Riyadh to music festival and club-goers.
Koz has authored multiple essential e-manuals for aerialists, serving as valuable reference guides for self-learning. As a health, wellness, and performance coach, Koz empowers individuals to holistically reach their full potential considering student factors like sleep, general fitness, stress, and recovery. Koz’ fitness expertise is grounded in being a certified personal trainer, academic work in psychology, and 10+ years of circus and coaching experience.
You can find Aaron’s website at aaronkoz.com & their Instagram @circkoz
Meet Garrett: A personal trainer and coach for the past 7 years and circus coach for the past 5. In that time, he has worked with and coached both recreational and professional artists in Montreal, New York City, and around the world through online coaching and courses. He has a passion for exercise science and the anatomy and physiology of training. He has always loved conveying this information but recently his focus has been on taking it and making it as simple and understandable as possible so his clients can get the most from it.
Find Garrett on Instagram @garrettmovement.
Epic Nighttime Photo Shoots
Retreat Pricing (in USD):
| Room | Early Bird Price until August 15, 2024 | Full Price |
| Shared Dorm (gender mixed) | $2400 | $2700 |
| Shared Private Room (2 friends sharing a room) 1 king size bed or 2 individual beds | $2600 | $2900 |
| Private Room with Shared Bathroom | $2900 | $3200 |
| Private Room with Private Bathroom | $3200 | $3500 |
| Private Room with Private Bathroom and Air Conditioning | $3500 | $3900 |
Sign up and pay by Aug 31 to get the early bird price.
Full tuition is due by January 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 February 8. Depart on February 15.
- Accommodations for the duration of the retreat
- Daily meals – breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert & snacks
- 2 Daily classes (4-6 hours total/day)
- 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
What People Are Saying:
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
Testimonials for Aaron+Garrett’s Teaching
“Anyone who is looking to progress in straps should take an opportunity to train with Koz! He has put the time, thought, and research into his coaching methods and it really shows. He is a wealth of information and expertise, but is able to break down and present skills and training in a way that isn’t ever overwhelming. Plus just an all-round excellent human.” – Blue / @blue_ismyrealname
“I had so much fun at this straps retreat with Koz! Koz’s straps and overall training knowledge is amazing, and he is able to transfer it well and adapt it to different levels and learning styles. Will definitely attend more of these in the future!” – @acroatianflyer – Matija Hanzevacki
“I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this retreat but it definitely exceeded expectations. I was really impressed by the space and Aaron’s coaching is amazing! I feel like I made significant progress, got to relax, and made some incredible friends.”
“I think the coaching was really great, everything was broken down really well and I think there was a good balance between providing guidance and giving space for participants to pick things to work on, which helps to feel a sense of achievement in areas that are important to you as a participant. I definitely left with a lot of things I know I can take home to incorporate into training to build on, which is really great for something like straps where I know I’m not going to get everything within one week.”
“Garrett is a great and patient coach, who makes me work hard. I always feel challenged in a way that makes me feel good about my progress and like my goals are attainable. Also, sometimes I am so sore the next day I have to take a nap.” – Eva Luks
“Training with Garrett was the best thing I’ve had throughout my training journey, he helped me a lot in getting stronger in my handstand practice and to get a solid base in my pulling strength. The program was straight to the point with no time-wasting nonsense. I’d recommend getting a coach if you want to reach your goals faster and Garrett would be the perfect coach for setting up a well-rounded program.” – Mohammad Nahle
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
- Refer a friend to any of our upcoming programs and get a $100 referral discount. You get $100 discount for each person you refer. Referrals must be for first timers at Sweet Retreats.
- Sign up on our mailing list to find out about more discounts.
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