HANDSTANDS RETREAT
with Mauricio of LaFakeProject
October 17-24, 2026
Casa Chango Mexico, Puerto Escondido
Spend a WEEK in PARADISE with new friends, the beach, delicious, fresh, local food, and learn loads and loads of new handstand skills!
Enjoy a week long deep dive into your own capacity for balance and strength. We move away from generic “one-size-fits-all” coaching to build a path that respects your body’s unique architecture and history. Following the philosophy that “a handstand is not a position you achieve; it’s a practice you inhabit,” this retreat is designed for intermediate to advanced levels. Our promise is simple but powerful: you won’t just leave with a few more seconds of balance; you will leave with a personalized roadmap and the exact tools to master your handstand on your own terms.
There will be 2 daily classes on this Handstands Retreat
The Architecture of the Push – The morning sessions are the technical engine of the retreat, where we build your “foundation of power”.
● Diagnosis and Technique: We begin by evaluating your handstand technique so we can work intelligently on your specific goals from day one.
● Pushing Strength: You will learn to use the floor as an ally, activating your body so the handstand feels light in the air rather than heavy in your arms.
● Skill and Balance: We practice the art of micro-corrections, teaching you that balance is like music—a continuous, flowing movement, not a rigid statue.
● Introduction to OAH (One Arm): For those ready to level up, we plant the technical seeds and weight-transfer skills needed for the one-arm handstand challenge.
Connection, Strategy, and Community – In the afternoons, we shift the focus toward integration, active mobility, and “living theory”. It’s the space where your body and mind truly connect:
● Functional Mobility: Using techniques like Feldenkrais and contemporary dance, we unlock ranges of motion that you can actually control and use while upside down.
● Living Theory: We debunk common myths—like the fear of falling or the obsession with a “perfect line”—so you gain real authority over your own practice.
● Your Personal Roadmap: We want your progress to continue long after the retreat ends. Together, we will design a post-retreat training plan tailored to your real life and schedule.
● Community: We close each day by sharing discoveries in a supportive environment, where every “mistake” is celebrated as a valuable piece of information.
The rest of your time will be spent eating delicious food, swimming in the pool, lounging in hammocks, and enjoying being in nature. There will be time to explore local markets and beaches as well as the local night life.
Prerequisites:
Participants should have some handstand experience, and know they want to spend a week practicing handstands.
Daily Schedule Sample:
- 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. – Tea, Coffee and Breakfast
- 9 a.m. -12:30 p.m. – Morning Class
- 1:00 p.m. – Lunch
- 2:00 p.m. -4:30 p.m. – Free time (pool, hammocks, etc.)
- 3:30 p.m. – Afternoon snack and beverage
- 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. – Afternoon Class
- 7:00 p.m. – Dinner
- 8:00 p.m. -10:00 p.m. – Free time and evening activities
We will take you to our favorite beaches for swimming, surfing, snorkeling, and releasing baby turtles into the sea. Optional evening adventures include a bioluminescent lagoon & local night market.
Read more about our excursions here.
Retreat pricing in USD:
| Your choice of accommodations: | Early Bird Price | Full Price |
| Shared Dorm (mixed gender) | $2000 | $2300 |
| Shared Room w Shared Bathroom (2 friends/couple sharing a room) | $2200 | $2500 |
| Private Room w Shared Bathroom | $2500 | $2800 |
| Private Room w Private Bathroom | $2800 | $3100 |
| Private Room w Private Bathroom & Air Conditioner | $3100 | $3400 |
$500 Deposit is required to secure your spot.
To get the Early Bird Price, you must pay in full by July 17
Full tuition is due by Sept 17.
Rates refer to cost of one person’s tuition.
Couples must sign up together.
Significant others and friends who are not taking classes are welcome at a special price.
Dorms are mixed gender.
Click here for room descriptions.
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.
- Arrive on Oct 17. Depart on Oct 24, 2026.
- 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 in our beautiful open-air kitchen. Click here to learn more about meals.
- Breakfast: 7:30-9:30am
- Lunch: 1-1:45pm
- Afternoon treat & ice coffee: 3:30pm
- Dinner & Dessert: 7-7:45pm
- Communal space for personal food storage in our kitchen.
- 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
- 2 Daily Classes
- Trips to local beaches and night market
- High Speed 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.
Links for more information:
- Casa Chango accommodations – room descriptions
- Meals and Food*
- How to get here**. Info and advice on booking your travel
- Weather in Puerto Escondido
- Testimonials
- Excursions
Discounts:
- Book and pay early and save $300!
ECO RETREAT CENTER
Casa Chango is an Eco Retreat Center. We do our best to live in harmony with the natural world. We are off grid, and use 100% solar power. We have dry composting toilets and use the humanure and food waste to create soil to feed the amazing plants and trees all around the property. We ask all of our staff and guests to come with the mindset of learning about and respecting nature. The gray water from our sinks and showers filter out to water the plants. Therefore we ask you to bring natural shampoos, conditioners, and toothpaste to your retreat. All of our buildings were designed and built to be cool and comfortable, and we hope you enjoy your stay with us.
Casa Chango is an animal friendly place. There are several friendly animals on site including dogs and cats. They will not enter your rooms, but they will be on property and in common areas during your retreat. Animal lovers will be in their happy place.
Native insects live in this area of Mexico. We fumigate regularly to keep insects away and out of your rooms. We also acknowledge that the insects are an important part of keeping nature in balance. Most of the community spaces at Casa Chango, including the gym, dining area, pool, lounge are open air which means there are no walls. You can expect to see a variety of native insects, birds, and lizards during your visit. We hope you enjoy the experience of living more connected to nature.
Questions? Email us at SweetRetreatsMexico@gmail.com
*Food service begins with a snack and dinner on arrival day, and ends with breakfast on departure day. All meals are provided. The food is amazing! ** Your taxi to/from the PXM airport is included if you arrive/depart on designated days. Click here for info about getting to Puerto Escondido.