Rachel began her formal circus training at New England Center for Circus Arts in Brattleboro VT in Contortion and Aerial Sling. She was awarded a scholarship to Actor’s Gymnasium in Chicago IL and completed their Circus Arts Intensive program. She further specialized her training in Chicago through study in Mongolian Contortion technique under the mentorship of Mongolian coach Oyunchimeg Yadamjav. Rachel joined Host of Sparrows Aerial Circus in 2015 where she has been performing ever since. Rachel started Shape Shifters Contortion LLC with a mission to provide outreach workshops to regional performing arts studios. Rachel’s pursuit of continuing education and professional development has led her to achieve flexibility teacher training certifications through Cirque du Soleil’s Alixa Sutton. She has also completed professional development training on Physical Therapy techniques for injury prevention through Cirque Physio. Rachel is a professional member of American Circus Educators and maintains a Basic Life Support provider certification through the American Heart Association.
We’re bringing Aerial Finesse to THAILAND for 6 days and 5 nights in beautiful Chiang Rai in the transformative space of Fly Karavek! Join us for a movement immersion combining skill deep dives, partnering work, creative movement games & inward practice development. Throughout the week, we will work to merge two cornerstones of movement: technique and creativity! With equal parts skill focus and finding freeness in your movement, you will explore all the depths of your practice, leaving with a better understanding of who YOU are as an aerial mover, all while soaking in the beautiful Thai culture.
Apparatus focus: Sling (Aerial Hammock)
Utilizing the Sling we will break down the complexities of Spin, Technical Skills and even some Dynamics that can be transferred across all apparatuses.
Creative Movement Focus: We will use a variety of apparatuses and tools, none of which students need to have experience, to explore new movement pathways.
What’s Included:
20+ hours of workshops and free play!
Hot air balloon + Aerial experience!
Elephant + Aerial experience!
Organic farm to table meals!
Private bedroom w/ bathroom and AC!
All transportations & excursions!!
What’s NOT Included:
Flights
Video Submission Requirements: Required for application for this intensive. We’ve included a video for reference of these items as we know everyone has different names. Please don’t worry about doing these skills exactly as seen in the video or spending time perfecting them, we just want to see where you are at. This helps us in deciding what areas to focus on skill wise.
1: Spin to Flare invert in backpack position. AKA your weight supported in the loop.
2: Standing Flare to invert with a spin. Straight arms or bent, doesn’t matter. We just want to see your flare up without your weight being supported in the sling.
3: Catchers wrap. We want to see you getting into catcher’s wrap in a dynamic way.
*A $550 nonrefundable deposit is required in order to secure your spot, along with your video submission. Remaining balance may be made in installments, with the first installment beginning 30 days after registration. All payments made are non-refundable, but may be transferred to another name in case of emergency.
Brittany Naegel (owner of Elevated Aerials in Cincinnati, OH) and Alicia Calderwood (owner of Pura Vida Studio in Cary, NC) have teamed up to offer this 6 day / 5 night retreat in the stunning space of Fly Karavek located in the mountains of Northern Thailand! “Jai Yen” in Thai means a heart characterized by composure, calm, and patience.
Reconnect with us for a week full of yoga and aerial fabric explorations… Enjoy sunbathing in the salt water infinity pool, embrace new human and elephant friends, pay a visit to some of the most awe inspiring temples, learn about what makes Thailand so spectacular and more! If you are a yoga & aerial fabric lover, we can’t wait to welcome you to a slice of heaven on Earth.
Students must have 6+ months of consistent aerial fabric practice.
Bent arm and/or straight arm hold for 20 seconds or more.
Must be able to mount a chest height sling by pulling over to hips. (foot tag okay!)
What’s Included:
15+ hours of workshops/classes and free play!
Elephant + Aerial Experience!
Low Hot Air Balloon + Aerial Experience!
Organic farm to table meals!
Private bedroom w/ bathroom and AC!
All transportations & excursions!!
What’s NOT Included:
Flights
Pricing: $3250
*A $550 nonrefundable deposit is required in order to secure your spot. Remaining balance may be made in installments, with the first installment beginning 30 days after registration. All payments made are non-refundable, but may be transferred to another name in case of emergency.
We are thrilled to announce that we’ll be offering TWO unique retreats in Thailand this upcoming winter at Fly Karavek!!!
For our first retreat in 2025, we’re teaming up with Pura Vida Studio owner Alicia Calderwood for a week full of yoga & aerial fabric flows! This week will be geared towards advanced beginner+ aerial artists as we soak up the tranquility of Northern Thailand.
Taking place the following week, we will be bringing our beloved intensive Aerial Finesse to Thailand with EA instructors Brittany Naegel & Samantha Hancock! For the past two years we’ve hosted Aerial Finesse at our home studio, and we can’t wait to see the transformation and creativity that comes from moving in such a unique healing space such as Fly Karavek. This week will be geared towards intermediate+ aerial artists as we dive deep into our movement practice.
EA instructors Brittany Naegel & Samantha Hancock are heading to Canada this summer to teach a full weekend of workshops followed by a 3 day Vertical Dance dance immersion hosted by Cirque’letics! Yes, you heard that right… we are thrilled to be able to share our love of the sling, lyra and floor with folks up north and we can’t wait to explore the cliff sides of beautiful Newfoundland!!
Scroll through to see which workshops we’ll be offering…
We’re excited to be able to host our first ever Teardrop Workshop coming this winter at Elevated Aerials! Brittany Naegel will share some of her favorite cross over skills on this new specialty apparatus. The teardrop is unique in the fact that it combines elements of dance trapeze, sling, lyra, rope and even silks. Come explore this unique apparatus for the first time with us! Previous aerial experience is required, as we suggest this workshop for our L2 and up students.
Wahooo!! It’s here, it’s here. Our 2023 Student Showcase is juuuust about here. We hope you’ll join us in attending our 6th annual student showcase located inside Swift Movement Studio on Sunday, November 12th beginning at 3PM. Our students have been working hard on their routines and we can’t wait for you all to see what they have in store for this years show!
Doors will open at 2:30PM with the show beginning at 3PM sharp. We will have two acts, with one intermission. For additional parking and restrooms, please utilize our neighbors at the Taft Brewporium where we will celebrate afterwards! Purchase your ticket for $30 at the door day of show.
*** For “tickets” purchased in advance: We’ll have a list of PayPal ticket purchases at the front desk upon arrival. Simply give the name of who purchased your ticket when you arrive. If for some reason they can’t find your name, you can show your payment receipt and you’ll be good to go. ***
We had the most wonderful experience last year hosting our first ever 4 day movement intensive at Elevated Aerials that of course we want to do it again! Instructors Brittany Naegel & Samantha Hancock are teaming up once again to deep dive into some of their favorite offerings for four days straight.
Curious about what “Aerial Finesse” is? Watch below for a little taste:
Dates: Thursday March 28th – Sunday March 31st of 2024
This intensive works to merge two cornerstones of movement: technique and creativity.
With equal parts skill focus and finding freeness in your movement, you will explore all the depths of your practice, leaving with a better understanding of who YOU are as an aerial mover.
Apparatus focus: Sling (Aerial hammock)
Utilizing the Sling we will break down the complexities of Spin and Dynamics that can be transferred across all apparatuses.
Creative Movement Focus:
We will use a variety of apparatuses and tools, none of which students need to have experience, to explore new movement pathways.
Schedule Overview:
6 plus hours of workshops and free play each day
Local Lunches provided each day (dietary restrictions noted on registration)
Rate:
$800 EARLY BIRD PRICING until December 1st, 2023.
$900 after 12/1/23
Includes: Intensive training & lunch each day of the training
Non-refundable deposit of $200 due upon acceptance of prerequisite video submission: Deadline for application is February 28th, 2024.
WOW! Our sling & teardrop retreat sold out so quick that we decided to add a second week of retreats!! Only 4 spots remain on this aerial movement & cultural Thai experience. Please reach out to BrittanyNaegel@gmail.com with any questions or if you’d like to reserve your spot on this adventure.
A message from Brittany about the retreat:
Cetnā
An aerial and cultural movement retreat w/ Brittany Naegel (@britsaerialife) in… Thailand!!
The word “Cetnā” in Thai means “Intention”. The steps leading to this retreat began over a decade ago… and as the planning progressed, I kept coming back to the same word, intention. For every intentional step made over the past decade+ has led to this moment.
If you have a love for aerials and have always wanted to explore Thailand, I hope you’ll join me! We’ll be spending the mornings training, focusing on both soft & hard apparatuses (sling & teardrop). Gaining a deeper understanding of how our apparatus moves, how we move and how we move together. The afternoons will be spent exploring pieces of Northern Thailand or relaxing by the pool. To top it all off, we’ll be traveling to an elephant sanctuary where we’ll get to fly alongside these incredible beings.
Thailand holds a very special place in my heart. I can’t wait to explore and share space in this beautiful place with other aerial movement lovers!!!
Dates: 4/22/24-4/27/24
Location: Fly Karavek located in Chiangrai, Thailand
Apparatus Focus: Sling & Teardrop Trapeze (soft & hard apparatus, all provided for you)
Prerequisites: Aerial invert required (bent legs okay!). An intermediate knowledge of fabric wraps/skills highly preferred. A yearning for learning, both in aerials and Thai culture!
Pricing: $2900
Includes: All accommodations, transportations, excursions, meals and aerial training!
Excludes: Flights
***This retreat will cap at 12 students!! A non-refundable $200 deposit is required to hold your spot. Please email Brit at brittanynaegel@gmail.com to inquire about reserving your spot. 50% of payment is due by February 1st 2024, remaining balance is due April 1st 2024. All payments are nonrefundable.***
———–
Some mo details about the retreat…
Accommodations: While at the aerial training space, each guest will have their own private room with private bathroom. Queen bed w/ AC.
Transportations: All transportations during the retreat are included in the price. Guests will be picked up on day 1 beginning at 10AM. Choose to be picked up at the Chiang Mai Airport (CNX) or at a hotel in Chiang Mai. Guests will be dropped off at their preferred location in Chiang Mai beginning at 5:30PM on the last day of the retreat. The retreat center is located about 1.25hrs from Chiang Mai.
Meals: I am told we will have local, organic, farm-to-table delicious meals made for us and I CAN NOT WAIT!! **Gratuity is expected and appreciated. Please plan to bring about $100-125 for gratuity payout at the end of retreat for all cooks, drivers, etc.**
Excursions: We have a wonderful handful of excursions planned for guests to enjoy and learn about Thailand. Some examples include visiting a temple, waterfall, etc. All excursions are included in the price. You may choose to par-take or hang and relax by the pool. On the last day of the retreat we’ll be venturing out to visit an elephant sanctuary where we’ll get to meet these gentle giants and end with an aerial elephant photoshoot to commemorate the trip!
Example Schedule:
7-8AM Breakfast
8-11:30AM Aerial Training
12-1PM Lunch
2-6PM Excursions / Free Time
7-8PM Dinner
Who this retreat is for: For anyone that wants to explore, learn and dive deeper both in aerials and in another culture that may be different from your own.
Who it’s not for: For folks that want to bang out a bunch of new sequences, or feel they know it all and their way of doing things is best.
Instead, let’s dive into the details… be open to different pathways, both culturally and aerially.
I hope you’ll consider taking this journey with me!
An aerial and cultural movement retreat w/ Brittany Naegel (@britsaerialife) in… Thailand!!
The word “Cetnā” in Thai means “Intention”. The steps leading to this retreat began over a decade ago… and as the planning progressed, we kept coming back to the same word, intention. For every intentional step made over the past decade+ has led to this moment.
If you have a love for aerials and have always wanted to explore Thailand, we hope you’ll join us! We’ll be spending the mornings training, focusing on both soft & hard apparatuses (sling & teardrop). Gaining a deeper understanding of how our apparatus moves, how we move and how we move together (of course, there will be spin work!). The afternoons will be spent exploring pieces of Northern Thailand or relaxing by the pool. To top it all off, we’ll be traveling to an elephant sanctuary where we’ll get to fly alongside these incredible beings!!
Thailand holds a very special place in Brit’s heart and she can’t wait to explore and share space in this beautiful place with other aerial movement lovers!!!
Dates: 4/15/24-4/20/24
Location: Fly Karavek located in Chiangrai, Thailand
Apparatus Focus: Sling & Teardrop Trapeze (soft & hard apparatus, all provided for you)
Prerequisites: Aerial invert required (bent legs okay!). An intermediate knowledge of fabric wraps/skills highly preferred. A yearning for learning, both in aerials and Thai culture!
Pricing: $2700 early bird registration (ends October 1st 2023)
$2900 (after October 1st 2023)
Includes: All accommodations, transportations, excursions, meals and aerial training!
Excludes: Flights
***This retreat will cap at 12 students!! A non-refundable $200 deposit is required to hold your spot. Please email Brit at brittanynaegel@gmail.com to inquire about reserving your spot. 50% of payment is due by February 1st 2024, remaining balance is due April 1st 2024. All payments are nonrefundable.***
———–
Some mo details about the retreat…
Accommodations: While at the aerial training space (April 15-19, as the last night we’ll be spending with the elephants) each guest will have their own private room with private bathroom. Queen bed w/ AC.
Transportations: All transportations during the retreat are included in the price. Guests will be picked up on day 1 beginning at 10AM. Choose to be picked up at the Chiang Mai Airport (CNX) or at a hotel in Chiang Mai. Guests will be dropped off at their preferred location in Chiang Mai beginning at 5:30PM on the last day of the retreat. The retreat center is located about 1.25hrs from Chiang Mai.
Meals: We are told we will have local, organic, farm-to-table delicious meals made for us and we CAN NOT WAIT!! **Gratuity is expected and appreciated. Please plan to bring about $100-125 for gratuity payout at the end of retreat for all cooks, drivers, etc.**
Excursions: We have a wonderful handful of excursions planned for guests to enjoy and learn about Thailand. Some examples include visiting a temple, waterfall, etc. All excursions are included in the price. You may choose to par-take or hang and relax by the pool. On the last night of the retreat we’ll be venturing out to visit an elephant sanctuary where we’ll spend the night to meet these gentle giants and end with an aerial elephant sunrise photoshoot to commemorate the trip!
Example Schedule:
7-8AM Breakfast
8-11:30AM Aerial Training
12-1PM Lunch
2-6PM Excursions / Free Time
7-8PM Dinner
Who this retreat is for: For anyone that wants to explore, learn and dive deeper both in aerials and in another culture that may be different from your own.
Who it’s not for: For folks that want to bang out a bunch of new sequences, or feel they know it all and their way of doing things is best.
Instead, let’s dive into the details… be open to different pathways, both culturally and aerially.
Contact BrittanyNaegel@gmail.com to inquire about reserving your spot on this adventure!
