No matter your current skill level, you can join all our Retreats! We’ll offer beginner, intermediate, and advanced options for all props and techniques. All workshops are designed to welcome absolute beginners. However, to maximize your learning during the retreat, familiarity with the basics of various props will be highly beneficial.
POI BEGINNERS: To get the most out of the retreat, please familiarize yourself with basic poi moves such as 3-beat weaves (forward & backwards), windmill, watermill, hip-reels & turns, butterfly (same-time, split-time), and buzzsaw. Don’t worry if you can’t do all of these yet – we will teach them! If you’d like to prepare, we highly recommend checking out Poi Tutorials.com
HOOP BEGINNERS: To benefit most from the hoop workshops, please learn basic moves like waist-hooping in both directions, moving your hula hoop up your body, and shoulder-hooping in both directions. You can find many free tutorials from HOOPLOVERS.
CONTACT STAFF BEGINNERS: To make the most of the contact staff workshops, please learn basic moves such as the neck wrap, halo, conveyor belt, and parts of an arm roll or Steve. You can find many free tutorials from PHILOCRICUS.
STAFF SPINNING BEGINNERS: To benefit most from the staff spinning workshops, please learn basic moves like the forward and backward figure 8, turning with the figure 8, the Rotor (front spinning), and the windmill. You can find many free tutorials from Michelle Christa Smith.
You don’t need to know other attendees to share a room! If you’re interested in sharing a room, we can help find you a roommate.
Just let us know your preferences, and we’ll do our best to match you with other attendees looking for the same room type. Please note that room-sharing options depend on availability and the number of other attendees who want to share.
Most of the time, flying with your performance equipment will be hassle-free. We’ve travelled the world many times with our gear and have rarely encountered significant issues. The key is to be prepared and follow a few simple guidelines to minimise any potential problems.
General Tips for Flying with Your Gear
When preparing your juggling equipment for travel, especially items with wicks, here are some essential tips:
- Cleanliness is key: Ensure your wicks are thoroughly burned off and contain no fuel residue. You can wash your equipment with warm water and soap to remove most of the black soot. Let them dry completely before packing.
- Contain and conceal:
- Place all your props in ziplock bags to contain any residual smell.
- Consider wrapping your equipment in socks or even using “pink fluffy protection” (it definitely doesn’t look dangerous!) to make it less visible and potentially less scrutinised by security personnel.
- If you have poi heads, you can even disconnect the chains and store them in separate bags for extra discretion.
- Check-in is best: We recommend putting your performance equipment in your checked luggage. Don’t lock your bag; if security needs to inspect it, they might break the lock. It’s a good idea to include a note inside explaining that it’s juggling equipment and provide your phone number.
Flying with Long Staffs and Oversized Luggage
Longer performance staffs can sometimes incur extra fees due to oversized luggage restrictions.
- Mind the measurements: After years of flying with my staff, I’ve adjusted their length to avoid oversized luggage fees. While airline limits vary, a height of 152 cm to 158 cm is a typical maximum before additional charges apply. However, there’s no universal rule, so always research the fare rules of your airline before booking.
- Budget airline considerations: Many budget airlines, especially in Europe, may charge a fee for any bag that doesn’t resemble a standard suitcase, regardless of length. Generally, the “nicer” the airline, the less likely they are to charge you extra for your baggage.
- Protect your staff: A thick staff bag will provide excellent protection for your staff during transit.
- Check baggage fee charts: You can often find helpful worldwide baggage fee charts online (a good resource is farecompare.com/about/worldwide-baggage-fee-chart/).
Navigating Security at the Check-in Counter
Expect questions, especially if you have larger bags.
- Choose your words carefully: The most important rule is never to use the word “fire” or anything that could be associated with weapons.
- Speak the language of art: Instead, explain that you are a circus artist and that you do object manipulation or juggling. Talk about “batons” and “dance,” avoiding terms like “swords” or “martial arts.”
- Charm can help: Many airlines charge extra for sports bags (like golf or kite surf bags). With a bit of luck and charm, a positive conversation about circus and art might help you dodge those looming fees – though it’s not guaranteed every time!
Carry-On Luggage
- We don’t recommend travelling with fire equipment in your carry-on luggage. Contact Poi or LED Poi shouldn’t be an issue. However, if you encounter the wrong person, there is a higher risk of questioning and a slim chance of convescation.
Flying with Light Equipment (Lithium Batteries)
If your dance props use lithium batteries, there are specific rules to be aware of.
- Checked luggage limitations: As of late 2014, new rules apply to lithium batteries in checked luggage, limiting their voltage allowance. While most light dance props (typically 3-12 volts) are well below these limits, the voltage often isn’t specified on the tools themselves, creating a risk of confiscation.
- Carry-on is preferred for light props: The same strict rules don’t apply to carry-on luggage. Therefore, we recommend travelling with all your light dance props in your carry-on luggage. We’ve tested this multiple times without any issues. For example, many light dance props have an average capacity of 3.7 volts/700mah.
- Stay informed: For more detailed information on travelling with lithium batteries, consult your airline’s guidelines (e.g., airfrance.fr/common/image/pdf/en/Bagages_batterie_lithium_en.pdf).
RETREAT PAYMENT
The retreat fee is split into two parts:
- Deposit: A non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your spot. This must be paid by credit card.
- Remaining Fee: The rest of the fee is due at the start of the retreat and can be paid in cash or by card. If for any unforseen reasons you can’t come after you have paid, we will refund you the rest fee.
Travel Insurance
We strongly advise all attendees to secure personal travel insurance. This is crucial to ensure you’re covered if unforeseen circumstances prevent you from attending the retreat, allowing you to claim a refund for your payments from your insurer.
When choosing a policy, please make sure it includes:
- Reimbursement for any pre-booked events or excursions (The non-refundable deposit)
- Cancellation cover specifically for Coronavirus-related issues.
You can see an example of a policy at https://www.allianztravelinsurance.com/quote.
- Sunday 21st of September: arrival starting at 15:00. Start of the retreat at 19:00 with dinner and an introduction meeting
- Monday 22nd to Friday the 26th : 5 full Workshop days
- Saturday 27th of September: end of the retreat, packing and brunch, departure at 13:00
The retreat will be happening outside the small town of Montesquiou. That’s 1 hour 20 minutes from Toulouse by Car, and 30 minutes from the Auch train Station.
We can arrange a pick up from the train station in Auch for 10 euros per person.
The retreat will be happening outside the small town of Montesquiou. That’s 1 hour 20 minutes from Toulouse by Car, and 30 minutes from the Auch Train Station.
Here, you can find trains going form Toulouse to Auch. The train will take around 1 hour 30 minutes.
It’s easiest to fly to the Toulouse-Blagnac Airport! Getting from the Bordeaux Mérignac Airport to the Auch train station with public transport will take 3 to 4 hours.
We can arrange a pick up from the train station in Auch for 10 euros per person.
There are also busses, going from the Auch train station till the town of the Château, Montesquiou but you have to make one transit, and the bus goes only twice per day…
We are very lucky to have a ***star Château Hotel with restaurant and 12-hectare park privately, for us!
There are many Hotel Rooms, Chalets, Mobile Homes and Camping Places availalbe.
We’ll have 2 swimming pools!
The buffets will be prepared by the Château staff. We’ll all have dinner together, and you can choose to take the Breakfast & Lunch Package, or prepare or arrange that yourself.
All levels, for any prop or activity are welcome to join! We’ll offer beginning, intermediate, and advanced options for most techniques. For the Poi workshops, we split the group into different levels.
To benefit the most from this retreat, know the basic poi moves, such as 3-beat weaves (forward and backward), windmills, watermills, hip-reels, and turns butterflies (same-time, split-time), and buzzsaws.
If you can’t do some of the moves listed above, don’t worry! We will teach you that. However, if you want to be prepared, look up some tutorials; we recommend Poi Tutorials.com, start as a beginner for only 4,95 per month.
You don’t need to know other attendees to share a room! (Only for the Royal Suite, if you want a twin, you’ll need to reserve with another person. For the Mobile Home, Triple and Twin Chalet, you don’t need to know other attendees to share)
If you want to share a room with other attendees, we’ll try to make a match. You can give us your preferences; if you want to stay with people with the same gender, we’ll try to find matching room-mates!
If you want to share a room with friend(s) or a partner, you don’t have to buy all the tickets at the same time.
You can reserve separately, and all buy only your own deposit ticket. When buying the ticket, please leave a note that you want to share the room with friend(s) or a partner! Or send me a message at +336 3456 0233 to confirm you want to share.
Coffee, tea and mint-water are included for everybody! It doesn’t matter if you take the Breakfast & Lunch Package or not.
You can also buy drinks in the restaurant if you want a cappucino or soft drinks.
And, we’ll also bring beer and wine (which will be cheaper as in the restaurant) and our self-service bar will be open all night, hahahaa.
There’s a little supermarket on 2,7 km from the Château.
Bigger supermakets are at 12 km.
You can borrow a Spinning Staff, Double Staffs, Dragon Staff, Poi, Fans, Contact Staff.
These are all practice, day props. We don’t have any fire props to borrow. But of course you can ask other attendees if you want to borrow a fire prop.
You can see this event on Facebook here