Women and Non-Binary Retreat 2025

Women & Non-Binary Weekend Retreat with Jaqui Wan, Dora Rubinstein & Lauren Azor 

 

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO 2025

When: 

  • Friday 4th April – Sunday 6th April2025
  • Check-in starts at 3pm on Friday and the event finishes at 2pm on Sunday.

Where: Westwood Retreat Centre, Westwood Edge Rd, Golcar, Huddersfield HD7 4JY

Cost:  

The following prices are being reviewed and updated in the autumn of 2024

Accommodation options based on a first come first serve basis: –

  • £285 per person – Bunk bed in the main hall (you must provide own bedding) 
  • £335 per person – Sharing a double bed in an apartment – this option must be  booked by 2 people together (total apartment occupancy between 3-5 people) 
  • £415 per person – Single bed in a 3 or 5-bed apartment (total apartment occupancy between 3-5 people) 
  • £620 per person – Single use of a double bed (total apartment occupancy between 3-5 people)

 

REGISTER HERE – REGISTRATION WILL OPEN IN THE AUTUMN 2024.

Please register before payment, the payment link is in the registration form.  

 

 
Join us in Yorkshire for a weekend-long acro retreat to celebrate the experiences, skills and abilities of women and non-binary people. A weekend to empower women and non-binary voices, and to explore the group dynamics of gender in amateur circus and acrobatics – as well as to have loads of fun and acro play!
 
What’s included:-
 
  • Multiple daily workshops in acroyoga and standing acrobatics;
  • Daily yoga and handstand classes;
  • Accommodation in a range of options, from beautiful boutique apartments to bunk-bed sleepover style; and
  • All meals and snacks are prepared by an in-house private retreat chef.

What’s not included: –

  • Transport to/from the venue (we are happy to help coordinate car-shares and taxi-shares from local train stations) and 
  • Travel Insurance
  •  

 

Venue Information 

Westwood Retreat Centre, a 19th century church building converted into an events hall and accommodation, surrounded by a lawn and gardens for private use and lush green countryside beyond.

Please note the venue operates a noise curfew from 11pm through to 8am, our retreat will also comply with this. 

Transport 

The nearest train station is Slaithwaite (pronounced ‘Slawit’), which is accessible from Huddersfield and Manchester Piccadilly. It’s a 1-mile very steep uphill walk from there so most guests prefer a 4-minute £5 taxi ride.

 

Example schedule:
Times Activity
8am – 9am  Breakfast 
9am – 10.30am  Workshop – Solar Asana
10.30am – 11am  Break
11am – 12.30pm Workshop – Same Size Flows
12.30pm – 2.30pm  Lunch
2.30pm – 4pm   Workshop – Handstands on Body Parts
4pm – 4.30pm  Break
4.30pm – 6pm Workshop – Trio Tricks 
6pm – 8pm Dinner and Chill 
8pm -9.30pm Workshop – Thai Massage & Therapeutic Flying 

REGISTER HERE

Please register before payment, the payment link is in the registration form.  

 

Your Hosts:


This retreat weekend is led by acroyoga, handstands and yoga teachers Jaqui Wan, Lauren Azor and Dora Rubinstein.

 

Jaqui is a yoga asana & acroyoga teacher based in London. She has been teaching full-time since 2008 and has had an ongoing yoga asana practice spanning almost 30 years. She is challenging yet playful and has an attention to detail that actively celebrates difference and group learning. She is the founder of Bodhitrix and the L Basing Compendium. She is an acrobatics elder in the London community and is one of the main organisers of the London Acro Convention.

 

Lauren is a playful teacher, who is keen to share her love for acroyoga. She is also a RYT300 Yoga teacher, who has taught Yoga in the UK & India. She currently teaches weekly Yoga and AcroYoga classes in her hometown of Brighton, workshops in the UK and Europe, and updates her experience at Acrobatic conventions.

 

Dora is a yoga and acroyoga teacher, and a theatre and circus performer. Classes are lively, light-hearted, and usually full of laughs! She is based in York, but teaches and performs internationally. Most recently a tour has taken her across the USA where she’s acro-jammed in Missouri, Nevada, Ohio and California. She can’t wait to share the fun things she’s picked up on her travels.

 

Catering is provided by Bilberry Bee, and will be a hearty, healthy and wholesome fare catering to dietary requirements. Expect breakfasts like turmeric porridge, stewed apples & pears, homemade granolas & smoothies. Lunches might be buddha bowls, flans or jacket potatoes with chilli. Dinners will always be 2 or 3 courses with mezzes, curries or lasagnas, plus homemade cakes and desserts for both lunch and dinner!

 

REGISTER HERE – REGISTRATION WILL OPEN IN THE AUTUMN 2024.

Please register before payment, the payment link is in the registration form.  

 

Who is this retreat for?

This retreat is open to all acroyogis and acrobats who identify as women or non-binary, and who are excited to train in a space primarily for those identifying as women & non-binary. We want to celebrate the diversity of what this means and embrace what we have in common.

There are a limited number of spots available, so to plan workshops and make sure everyone is catered for, we ask that you have some acroyoga or acrobatics experience. There are some prerequisites for this event which you can read below – please get in touch with one of the lead teachers if you are unsure on this or need help meeting these prerequisites.

 

Your acrobatic skills:

We are aware that every person’s experience will be slightly different. This retreat is intended to cater for people who would consider themselves ‘beyond beginner/improver’ – this could mean that you’ve practised acro consistently for at least 6 months; have a solid background in another field like aerial or gymnastics; or have done acro for years but had some time away due to injury.

We request that all participants have a familiarity base or/and fly as well as confidently spot the following: –

  • L basing Star – shoulder stand of feet
  • L basing Front Bird on hands
  • L basing low Foot to Hand
  • Standing Thigh Stand
  • Standing Two High

 

If you are unclear of any of the above, please email wnbacrofest@gmail.com or you can contact the three organisers on Instagram: –

 

REGISTER HERE – REGISTRATION WILL BE OPEN IN THE AUTUMN 2024

Please register before payment, the payment link is in the registration form.  

AcroYoga Spring Series at Yonder Spring 2024

A Yonder Collaboration 

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ACROYOGA FUNDAMENTALS – SOLAR ACROBATICS 

When:  Saturday 24th February 2024 – 2-4.30pm

Where: Yonder, 4-6 Hookers Road, London, E17 6DP

Costs: £35

BOOK HERE 

The world of AcroYoga Solar Acrobatics is one of collaboration, building trust and play.

We will learn the foundations of a solar/acrobatic practice; exploring calisthenic and partner conditioning to dive our acrobatic bodies.  We will cover the elements of giving and receiving each other’s weight; the push-pull nuances of balancing; and the engagement and mutual calibration that allows the creation of structures, shapes and poses. 

Explore the wonders of partner collaboration and delve into your acrobatic potential.  We aim to build your confidence, to try something new, play safely and have fun.

No experience is necessary, beginners are welcome. You will be working in pairs or in groups of three.

Come with an open mind and willingness to play.  No partner needed

 

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ACROYOGA FUNDAMENTALS – LUNAR THERAPEUTICS 

When: Saturday 16th March 2024 – 2-4.30pm  

Where: Yonder, 4-6 Hookers Road, London, E17 6DP

Costs: £35 

BOOK HERE 

The world of AcroYoga Lunar Therapeutics is one of slowing down, cultivating connection and conscious listening. 

This workshop will introduce Thai massage techniques and the foundations of flying therapeutics.

Thai massage is: – 

  • the physical embodiment of the Buddhist concept of loving-kindness ‘Metta Bhavana’;
  • the practice of assisted stretches to aid flexibility, address alignment & rebalance of energy in the body; and
  • referred to, by many, as the lazy person’s yoga.

Flying therapeutics is: –

  • being suspended in the air on the base’s hands and feet;
  • being flown, often in an inverted position, where gravity aids length and space to the torso, shoulders and spine; and
  • through a sequence of assisted stretches, a feeling of flight of lightness can be achieved.   

Open to all especially those with an interest in massage techniques.

No partner needed. You will be working in pairs or groups of three.

Come with a willingness to learn something new.  No partner needed

 

 

 

 

 

An introduction Standing Acrobatics

Introducing Standing Acrobatics with Sylvia Garcia & Jaqui Wan 

 

When: Sunday 8th October 2023, 2.30 – 5pm 

Where: Tokei / Hidden Gym Lion Court, 28 Magdalen Street, London SE1 2EN

Costs: 

New to standing acrobatics?  This workshop is for you! 

We will introduce you to the principles of standing acrobatics presenting some of the foundational standing poses and counterbalances. 

We aim to build your confidence, we will work progressively and have a lot of fun in the process. 

Open to all. 

Beginners are welcome.

 

Cancellation Policy

You are advised that there is a 48-hour notice via email to hello@jaquiwan.com should you wish to cancel and claim your total refund. Failure to provide sufficient notice will result in a £10 admin fee deducted from your refund for each workshop or person.

There are exceptions to this if you have been told to isolate and or have had a recent positive covid test result.  A full refund will be issued upon submission of evidence to confirm your circumstance.

 

 

Women & Non-Binary Acro Festival 2023

WNB Acro Fest 

 

When:  2pm Friday 19th to 5pm Sunday 21st May 2023

Where: Leeds Centre for Aerial Arts, Unit 5, Cardigan Trading Estate, Lennox Road, Kirkstall, LS4 2BL

Costs:  

A weekend to celebrate the experiences, skills and abilities of women and non-binary people.  A weekend to empower women and non-binary voices and to explore the group dynamics of gender in amateur circus and acrobatics. 

Things to look forward to: –

  • being in a supportive woman and non-binary space;
  • training in a testosterone low/free zone;
  • surprise guest teachers to be announced; and
  • a lunge maybe two will be set up for the whole weekend.

We will have guest teachers from across the UK our workshop offerings include: –

  • aerial hoops doubles
  • Icarian / pops
  • duo contortion
  • sports acro
  • trio tricks
  • strength and mobility for acro
  • dance acro solo
  • hand-to-hand variations
  • washing machines and sequences
  • gymnastic entries and exits
  • one-arm handstands 

To register please use this link 

For booking please use this link 

For information on our Facebook Event use this link 

AcroYoga Fundamentals with Kwame & Jaqui

When:  Sunday, 2nd October 2022, 2.30pm – 5.30pm

Where: Tokei / Hidden Gym Lion Court, 28 Magdalen Street, London SE1 2EN

Costs: 

 

I am honoured to announce this joint collaboration with Kwame Daniel offering the foundations to AcroYoga

This workshop is for: –

  • people who are new to acroyoga;
  • those with an acroyoga practice but want a steer on the basics; and
  • those who are feeling rusty and want to reestablish their solid foundations in the practice.

We will touch on the different aspects of the acroyoga practice delving into calisthenic and partner conditioning to delve into our acrobatic bodies; partner balancing to explore nuances of calibration and collaboration; therapeutic touch be it Thai massage or flying therapeutics.

Our aim is to build your confidence to maybe try something new and build on your potential to play safely and have fun. 

 

Cancellation Policy

You are advised to give at least 48 hours notice via email to hello@jaquiwan.com should you wish to cancel and claim your full refund. Failure to provide sufficient notice will result in a £10 admin fee deducted from your refund for each workshop and or each person.

There are exceptions to this protocol if you have been told to isolate and or have had a recent positive covid test result.  A full refund will be issued upon submission of evidence to confirm your circumstance.

 

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