Swings & Swirls
a deep dive into dynamic sling
with Camille Swift & Zaira Mariani
January 30-February 6, 2027
Casa Chango Mexico, Puerto Escondido
One Full Scholarship Available for a person identifying as BIPOC
Apply here by October 1
Spend a WEEK in PARADISE with new friends, the beach, delicious, fresh, local food, and learn loads and loads of new aerial skills!
Dive into the core of dynamic movement on sling in this week-long workshop. We will study everything from swings, spins, wraps, drops and dismounts, and how to smoothly string all these different types of movement into smooth, continuous acrobatic sequencing. You can expect a supportive environment with plenty of room to ask questions. You will leave with a tool kit of unique transitions, a deeper understanding of aerial athleticism and fresh inspiration to create your own combinations. There will be a daily morning and afternoon class during this retreat.
Swing Low & Hang Tight
In this session, we’ll get into the fundamental concepts behind skills that rely on pendulum dynamics: how to maintain a proper hang, how to maximize efficiency and optimize power in a swing, how to sustain momentum from a drop.
Fierce Flow
Learn techniques for executing smooth, effortless beats and dynamic tricks. Want consecutive elbow circles but don’t have them yet? Afraid to drop into ankle hang? Learn more complex beat styles and how to link them with drops and rolls. All power, no plop!
Twists & Rolls
Learn the drills and technical theory behind slow rolling and fast twisting. We’ll study core concepts like C-shaping, the “rond-de-jambe”, the “soutenu”, how to use the shoulders and hips.
Wraps and Drops
In this workshop we are going over fun ways to wrap ourselves up in the sling, then uncover exciting pathways to drop with control and style. This workshop includes foundational drills that will help build body awareness in drops and then apply that to advanced variations. We will break each concept down step by step, focusing on clean set up into the wrap and clear exit options.
Creative Transitions
Let’s get creative with transitions! Transitions are the pathways between shapes that turn individual skills into a cohesive sequence. In this workshop, you will learn a variety of creative ways to travel from point A to point B while staying in the sling. We will break down these transitions into clear steps and layer them into sequences that you can adapt to your own style.
Ethereal Flow
Get lost in the magic of the retreat setting during golden hour as we lean into ethereal inspired themes in the music and dreamy sequences. This is a choreo-flow style workshop, meaning you will be guided through sequences that connect with the music, while also leaving room for you to find your own expression within the structure. Expect billowy fabrics and familiar wraps, explored in news ways and curated specifically for you to find fluidity in your movement. You’ll leave with a flow that feels uniquely yours.
Flop and Drop
Get ready to learn how to fall like a pro! In this workshop, we will use crash mats to focus on the essentials of catch-and-release skills, helping you confidently let go and recatch in one controlled movement. You will learn key safety concepts, including how to fall, progressions, and how to drill the mechanics that make these skills reliable. We will work on specific techniques such as the pike half-turn and front flip dismount. Because catch-and-release skills require time and repetition, this workshop is designed to provide clear steps and drills to help you build toward these skills safely.
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:
Student must be able to straddle up from the floor with the sling at head height.
If you are more suited for a beginner retreat, please sign up for our Beginner Aerial Retreat.
Daily Schedule Sample:
- 7:30 – 9:30 a.m. – Tea, Coffee and Breakfast
- 9:45 a.m.-12:45pm – Morning Class
- 1:00 p.m. – Lunch
- 2:00 p.m. -5:00 p.m. – Free time (pool, hammocks, massages, naps)
- 3:30 p.m. – Afternoon snack and beverage
- 4:30 – 6 p.m. – Afternoon Class
- 6-7pm – Sunset photos (in the gym and by the infinity pool)
- 7:00 p.m. – Dinner
- 8:00 p.m. – Free time, jacuzzi, 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.
Your coaches:
Camille Swift, a.k.a. Femme Fénix, is a Chicago-based circus artist with 15+ years of experience. Her primary disciplines are static trapeze, dance trapeze and aerial sling, and she is known for creating acts that are highly skilled yet imaginative, expressive and visually striking. She has taught at numerous studios all over the US, and her classes focus on dynamic form and technique, helping students develop a high standard of creative and acrobatic movement, as well as developing critical body maintenance skills to keep both professional and recreational aerialists in peak form.
You can see Camille on Instagram @femme_fenix
Zaira Mariani loves helping others deepen their passion for aerials in their own unique way. She specializes in aerial hammock dynamics and choreography for intermediate to advanced levels. Zaira’s teaching style blends technical foundations with expressive choreography, so her students feel confident in their movement and personal style. She first found aerials as a very young adult looking for a community, and was immediately obsessed! She started performing as soon as she could and went on to lead group acts. Zaira has been teaching aerial now for 8 years and she is formally trained in aerial and pilates. Outside of teaching recreational classes, she helps students create acts for aerial festivals, and has helped build studio curriculums as well as traveled to teach workshops. Join Zaira in this retreat where she will blend skill building, artistry, and connection in a space that feels safe and inviting. You’ll leave feeling more connected to your body and the community!
You can see Zaira on Instagram @zy_marz
“As a coach, you’re required to be a friend, a teacher, a therapist, a mediator and a mentor. Zaira excels in each of these areas. To highlight a couple, as a teacher, Zaira sets up her students for long term success by focusing on conditioning and building progressive skills. As a mentor, she develops lasting confidence and resilience by focusing on the needs of each student creating life-long aerialists. Beyond those qualities, she is also an amazing choreographer and artist.”
Jordan Glynn
“Not only is Zaira an incredibly talented aerialist herself, but what really sets her coaching apart is how thoughtfully she approaches working with each student. She has a rare combination of patience, kindness, and expertise in the sport that enables her students to grow both technically and personally. She encourages them to work hard and push themselves, helping them develop strength, discipline, and pride in their progress.”
Erica Krystek
“Training with Camille helps you develop a new perspective in your aerial practice, way past generic poses and passive learning. She gives you exercises to unlock body awareness and specificity for your movements to become supported, sustainable and strong. Her years of experience with the fine arts shows that she has a respect for technique and detail, which translates into her teaching and performance. Make sure you bring a notebook! She has many interesting nuggets of information that you’ll want to remember later!”
Julia Degruchy
“Camille has an impressive teaching style, honing technique in ways that bring out my best and inspire me to do more. She’s incredibly discerning when assessing a student’s baseline technique and can adapt her approach to each student’s needs. She breaks down new tricks into clear, manageable steps with logical progressions, creating a reliable path to success. As a master of her craft and an exceptional teacher, she’s the type of instructor any student loves to learn from”
Ethan Wilson
Retreat pricing:
| Your choice of accommodations: | Early Bird Price | Full Price |
| Shared Dorm (mixed gender) | $2100 | $2400 |
| Shared Private Room (2 friends sharing a room) 1 king size bed or 2 individual beds | $2300 | $2600 |
| Shared Private Room (2 friends sharing a room) 1 king size bed or 2 individual beds | $2400 | $2700 |
| Private Room w Shared Bathroom | $2600 | $2900 |
| Private Room w Private Bathroom | $2900 | $3200 |
| Private Room w Private Bathroom & Air Conditioner | $3200 | $3500 |
$500 Deposit is required to secure your spot.
Early bird price ends 90 days before the retreat begins.
Full tuition is due by one month before the first day of the retreat.
Payment plans are available when paying with credit card.
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 January 30, 2027. Depart on February 6, 2027.
- 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:
- Aerial photo shoot (w access to up to 15 photos)
- Beach Trips and Night Market
- 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.
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
- See our google reviews here.
Discounts:
- Book and pay early and save $300!
- Refer a friend to any of our retreats and save $100 with our referral discount.*
- Sweet Retreats Alumni discount $200.
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.
Cancellation Policy:
- No Refunds.
- Deposits are non-refundable and non-transferrable.
- Cancel more than 60 days before 1st day of retreat: 50% of your tuition paid can transfer toward a future Sweet Retreat within 18 months of cancellation.
- Cancel 30-60 days before the 1st day of retreat: 25% of your tuition paid can transfer toward a future Sweet Retreat within 18 months of cancellation.
- Cancellations up to 30 days before the 1st day of the retreat will not be credited or refunded for any reason.
- At the time of payment for your retreat, we strongly advise purchasing a travel insurance policy. Make sure your policy covers the full cost of the retreat fee, as well as unexpected cancellation, trip delay, losses and other risks. Also, consider protection for canceled or delayed flights, lost luggage, medical needs while traveling. Please bring the policy with you in case of emergency. Click here for IM Global Insurance. Click here for WanderWell Insurance.