june 8- 13, stromboli, italy 2024
ELEVATE YOUR POI GAME TO NEW HEIGHTS AND JOIN FELLOW SPINOHOLICS FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE TIME ON THE MAGICAL ISLAND OF STROMBOLI!
Immerse yourself in the art of poi with none other than the legendary Ronan McLoughlin, the mastermind behind the revolutionary discovery of “contact poi.” Discover his signature moves, showcased in his renowned “Learning to Learn” TED Talk on YouTube. Ronan is not just a poi wizard but also a Tai Chi guru! Join his morning lessons to ground yourself before diving into the intensive Poi Boot Camp, where your mind might get delightfully scrambled.
Under the guidance of Mr. Vojta, embark on a quest to find your inner ninja. Learn to flow and express yourself through poi movement, understanding its mechanics for the freedom to improvise.
And fear not, as we won’t let you laze on the beach devouring authentic Italian pizza and artisanal gelato all day. We’ll spice things up with activities like climbing one of the world’s most active volcanoes and cruising around the island on our private boat.
This event is exclusively for those who revel in spinning things on strings, whether you’re a poi novice or a black belt in the high poi society. Get ready for an experience that combines the joy of poi with the breathtaking beauty of Stromboli!
poi boot-camp
Why Stromboli?
Stromboli’s not just any volcanic island. It’s not even “just” the most active volcano in Europe – even though, this feature does make it very special! It’s truly a magical, calm place, with its specific rhythm and atmosphere. The contrast between the black & red volcano and the colorful flowers and trees, or between the untamable, even deadly volcanic power and the life it gives. It’s an island with a higher authority than humans, and that is a special feeling to grasp.
11 years ago, as a curious, unknown young poi enthusiast, Vojta arrived on the island, which was at that time home to the legendary “Festa del Fuoco di Stromboli”. A unique fire festival, which hosted some of the biggest names of that time, which Vojta dreamt of meeting. This was a life-changing experience for this young man, who since then discovered not only a passion for volcanoes (and hiked many ever since), also well as discovered a new, Strombolian family, but also got inspired by the island’s unique energy to embark on his flow arts career.
This unique festival unfortunately ended due to the tragic and unexpected death of its leader, August Schuldes. We walk in his footprints, and by coming back to this island, we keep the fire burning.
Once you arrive and experience this place yourself, you will understand why people from all around the world used to come to celebrate the art of flow arts. You’ll be exposed to its inspiring, calm, yet wild volcanic energy, and witness the real fire show, presented by the earth itself.
a poi ninja
– Pump your Poi skills with 3 hours of lessons per day
– time for individual questions & trick requests
– Get the recap videos of everything covered in the Boot-Camp
– Climb the volcano Stromboli to see the extraordinary lava explosions with your own eyes…
– We’ll have our private boat(s) to make a tour around the island and see the Sciarra del Fuoco
relax…
– Comfortable apartments with terrace and wonderful sea view
– Get a nice tan on the beach
and go for a swim
– Tai chi and yoga lessons every morning to ground, and de-stress
Do you feel like easily starting the day? You have the choice to join tai chi- or yoga classes every morning.
TAICHI WITH RÓNAN
Recalibrate your system and reintegrate mind, body, and energy to function at your full capacity. Join Ronan for Taichi and Qigong moving meditation every morning. Feel. Align. Release. Flow.
YOGA PRACTICE
Gently wake up your body, align your body and mind by breathing consciously, and stretch.
The classes will be slow-pace and suited for every level, no prior experience is needed. Yoga mats will be provided!
BREAKFAST 9 am
POI CLASSES from 10 am to 1 pm
Classes are suited for both beginners and advanced spinners.
We won’t only focus on tricks, so even if you aren’t familiar with some poi moves yet, you will still benefit from the body movement workshops, and you will be taught the moves you miss. For intermediate to advanced spinners; for every exercise we do, you will get a more advanced version that suits your level.
Workshops will be held in a group and also individually (for some moves we might make small groups depending on the skill level and your interests).
LUNCH 1 pm A delicious lunch buffet will be prepared, and you also have the option to arrange your own food.
afternoon Activities
You cannot truly experience any island without sailing around it! We will hike and snorkel around the Strombolicchio – a small island (or perhaps, a big rock) sticking out of the sea ner Stromboli’s shore. It’s like the moon, always seen on the horizon, near its volcanic planet.
We’ll also sail to the other side of this captivating paradise – the quaint and picturesque town of Ginostra. As the sun gracefully bids adieu and sinks into the sea, we’ll be soaking up the spectacle with some mouthwatering Italian antipasti, and sipping on authentic Strombolian wine. And when darkness blankets the sky, get ready for a spin jam like no other!
This boat trip will also expose the hidden side of the island – the Sciara del Fuoco. The great long slope on which the lava descends to the sea. We’ll witness this on both day and night.
afternoon flow workshops
For those who are interested in also learning other props, there will be multiple mini-workshops of 45 min during the afternoon. When we won’t be out, hiking up Stromboli, or having our private boat(s) to tour the volcanic island, we’ll be on the beach, or in our training space Parco Parco, to learn some more props!
You can choose to follow any number of the mini-workshops. There will be the workshop Staff Spinning by Vojta, and there are staffs to borrow so you don’t have to bring your own.
More mini-workshops will be announced later, also depending on your interest! It’s required that you bring your own props for the other mini-workshops, as we won’t guarantee that we’ll have extra ones to borrow (It might be the case that there will be some spare props around, if you’re lucky and you don’t have the prop. But to be sure, please bring your own props to follow the mini-workshops)
The daily poi classes
During the poi classes we will be focussing on:
Teaching together was once only an experiment, but it became a tradition, to which both teachers are always looking forward.
an active volcano
Stromboli, the fiery titan of the Mediterranean, has been putting on a volcanic spectacle for nearly 2,000 years! Like a well-choreographed dance, it follows a pattern of eruptions where explosions burst forth from its summit craters. These eruptions range from mild to moderate, spewing incandescent volcanic bombs into the air at intervals ranging from mere minutes to several hours.
So what will I see? On average, there’s an eruption every 20 minutes. So you’ll see “little” explosions, with lava and fire spewed out, you might hear a little rumble, and then there’s the smoke. The explosions are from tens of meters up to two hundred meters high, but we’re looking at a safe distance, so we perceive them as small….
Here, you can see a webcam of the live activity. (In the winter, it might be very misty or foggy, so there might be nothing to see.) The webcam is almost at the top, around 700 meters; for safety, we are only allowed to go to 300 meters.
Stromboli’s top reaches 926 meters above sea level; the active craters are around 700 meters high. We’ll probably be allowed to climb up to 300 meters and watch the eruptions from there. The climb to 300 meters is relatively easy; we don’t need an official hiking guide. There are sand and stone paths that aren’t very steep. Of course, we can’t predict the exact volcanic activity, but with every retreat, we’ve seen the explosions, and with our retreat in 2021, we were treated to the sight of a lava flow making its way into the sea.
Sure, the element of surprise keeps us on our toes, but let me tell you, the thrill never fades. Every eruption is a special, almost otherworldly encounter with nature putting on a spectacular fire-show. That’s the reason we want to come back to this magic island every year, so, buckle up for an adventure where Mother Nature takes center stage, and the lava becomes the star of the show!
Meet Rónan, the maestro of fire and object manipulation hailing from the green landscapes of Ireland. For nearly two decades, he’s been setting the world ablaze with his inventive poi spinning techniques and he was the first one to come up with the simple-shaped rubber poi with a knob, the contact poi, as we know them today.
But Rónan’s not your typical fire wizard. He draws inspiration from an eclectic mix of juggling, object manipulation arts, and mind/body awareness disciplines like Taichi and meditation. Oh, did I mention illusion-based dance? Yeah, he throws that into the mix too. The result is one-of-a-kind style that’s all about movement and performance.
As he delved deeper into these skills, Rónan’s curiosity led him down a fascinating rabbit hole of learning efficiency. He’s been on a mission, sharing the wisdom, experiences, and techniques he’s gathered over the years. With over 15 years of teaching Poi and Learning-to-Learn workshops worldwide and a TEDx talk under his belt, he’s like the Yoda of spinning arts.
Witnessing the positive impact of these arts across all ages has fueled Rónan’s passion. He’s on a quest to keep exploring, sharing, and spreading the magic of these incredible tools, techniques, and skills to every corner of the globe.
The great poi enthusiast and geek, Vojta has entered his poi journey more than 16 years ago. Since then he transitioned through many poi eras, starting as an orthodox spinning-only flow keeper, to eras of manipulations, tosses, and juggling. His whole life has been accelarated by poi. That proves the literal translation of the festival he has started – Roztoč festival, which means “to accelarate rotation”. These days, Vojta’s performing all around the world with various productions, teaches poi at retreats and workshops, films videos and tutorials that teach and inspire many, but always enjoys landing and training at beautiful places, such as Stromboli.
He’s not only into poi, but into many other props, as well as movement, acrobatics, and dance. He’s always looking for innovative ways of performing, and with the poi tricks he came up with, he enriched the world’s poi vocabulary.
If you want to check out his poi teaching methods, see his Patreon, which is a home to more than a hundred of poi tutorials, and get inspired on his Youtube channel, which features many (not only poi) inspirational videos.
this is what our PAST STROMBOLI
attendees say
this is whaT
you will all get!
-3 hours of poi workshops per day, and other props
-time for individual questions
-get all the video recaps from the workshops, to practice at home
-tai chi or yoga classes every morning
-choose your room, based on your preferences
-all apartments have their bathroom and kitchen
-apartments are built in authentic Aeolian style
-breakfast, and a delicious warm lunch are optional to include every day
-every apartment has a kitchen, and there are also plenty of restaurants and supermarkets
-We’ll hike up Stromboli
-We’ll have a private boat to go around the island
-Fire spinning on the beach, fuel will be provided
-Fire Show for the village
THE PRICES BELOW ARE FOR THE FULL RETREAT;
INCLUDING WORKSHOPS, TRIPS, AND YOUR ROOM OF CHOICE
Retreat prices are based on which kind of room-sharing options you would like.
BE SURE TO BOOK FAST, AS LAST YEAR(S) WE WERE SOLD OUT!
Breakfast, and the Lunch Package are optional with every room.
- Bedroom: 2 – 3 people
- Apartment: 7 people
- Multiple bedrooms
- Shared bathroom with 7 p
- Shared kitchen with 7 p
- Single beds
HIPPIE HOUSE 7p, price per person: 580 euros
Early Bird price; book before the 19th of February and get a discount of 20 euros!
Lazy Bird prices after the 8th of April are + 20 euros
This apartment is mixed gender
2 MORE BEDS AVAILABLE!SOLD OUT!
- Bedroom: 4 people
- Apartment: 4 people
- One or multiple bedrooms
- Shared bathroom with 4 p
- Shared kitchen with 4 p
- Single beds
HIPPIE HOUSE 4p, price per person: 625 euros
Early Bird price; book before the 19th of February and get a discount of 20 euros!
Lazy Bird prices after the 8th of April are + 20 euros
This apartment is mixed gender
- Bedroom: 1 to 3 people
- Apartment: 3 people
- Shared bathroom with 3 p
- Shared kitchen with 3 p
- Single beds
Stay in an apartment with 2 others: 725 euros per person
Early Bird price; book before the 19th of February and get a discount of 20 euros!
Lazy Bird prices after the 8th of April are + 20 euros
We’re trying to put you in an apartment with your preferred gender, but we can’t guarantee this will be possible.
- Bedroom: 2 people
- Apartment: 2 people
- One bedroom
- En-suite bathroom
- With own kitchen
- Single beds
Stay in an apartment with one other person: 825 euros per person
Early Bird price; book before the 19th of February and get a discount of 20 euros!
Lazy Bird prices after the 8th of April are + 20 euros
We’re trying to put you in an apartment with your preferred gender, but we can’t guarantee this will be possible.
- Bedroom: private
- Apartment: 7 people
- Closed, private bedroom in the Hippie House
- Double bed
- Shared bathroom with 7 p
- Shared kitchen with 7 p
Have your private bedroom;
– Private: 800 euros per person
– Couple: 650 euros per person
Early Bird price; book before the 19th of February and get a discount of 20 euros!
Lazy Bird prices after the 8th of April are + 20 euros
ONLY 1 ROOM AVAILABLE! SOLD OUT!
- Bedroom: private
- Apartment: private
- One bedroom
- With private en-suite bathroom
- Private kitchenette
Have your private apartment;
– Private: 950 euros per person
– Couple: 775 euros per person
Early Bird price; book before the 19th of February and get a discount of 20 euros!
Lazy Bird prices after the 8th of April are + 20 euros
Great apartments in a lovely Aeolian villa surrounded by lush gardens. This apartment is only a three-minute walk away from all the other apartments at Salvo.
And, as a bonus, this is the only place where you’ll have free breakfast included every morning! Of course, you can use all the communal spaces at Salvo’s place like if you would stay there. Chill in the gardens, have lunch in the restaurant, party at the bar, and go to the yoga on the rooftop, you won’t miss out on anything.
To be sure, please confirm the availability of the private apartment before making a reservation with Nana, WhatsApp +336 3456 0233
The prices of the different room-sharing options above include:
– 5 nights of accommodation
– 3 hrs of poi workshops per day
– TaiChi or yoga classes every day
– fuel for fire jams
– hike on the volcano of Stromboli
– boat trip with our private boat
Optional:
– Lunch Package: 90 euros for 6 lunches
Not sure if you should book the lunch package? We recommend that you do, as we have great chefs who will be cooking amazing meals using the resources from their own garden! You won’t save money if you eat in a restaurant. We just give the option to book the retreat without the meal plan to those who prefer to cook lunch on their own, to be able to save a bit on food costs. But, when you come home after all the workshops, you will appreciate the lunch buffet waiting for you!
If you would like to bring your partner, friend, parent, or child who will not be participating in the workshops, there will be a 30% discount on the retreat fee for the partner. The person will not participate in the workshops, but all the other things will be included: 5 nights of accommodation, guided hike, the boat trip with our private boat and also yoga or TaiChi classes each morning.
The retreat dates are set to match the Napoli – Stromboli ferry schedule. The boat only goes 2x a week and it is the easiest way to get to Stromboli.
The one we recommend leaves Napoli on Friday the 7th of June at 8pm and arrives at Stromboli at 6am on Saturday the 8th of June.
To go back you can take the boat leaving at 10 pm Thursday the 13th of June, arriving at Napoli at 8am the next day, the 14nd of June.
Click here to see more detailed info about how to get to Stromboli
Prices start at 560 euro per person, for the full retreat. Accommodation, trips, and workshops are all included in the price.
Not sure if you should book the lunch package? We recommend that you do, as we have great chefs who will be cooking amazing meals using the resources from their own garden! You won’t save money if you eat in a restaurant. We just give the option to book the retreat without the meal plan to those who prefer to cook lunch on their own, to be able to save a bit on food costs. But, when you come home after all the workshops, you will appreciate the lunch buffet waiting for you!
We offer the option to include a lunch package, and breakfast for an extra fee.
There are dozens of restaurants as well as markets and food stores on the island. Every apartment has an own kitchen you can use to prepare meals (except some of the private apartments don’t have a kitchen)
LUNCH PACKAGE : a delicious warm lunch buffet will be prepared and ready for us every day. The cost of the lunch is 15 euros per day, the package is 90 euros for the retreat, which includes 6 lunches. There are fish and vegetarian options.
Not sure if you should book the lunch package? We recommend that you do, as we have great chefs who will be cooking amazing meals using the resources from their own garden! You won’t save money if you eat in a restaurant. We just give the option to book the retreat without the meal plan to those who prefer to cook lunch on their own, to be able to save a bit on food costs. But, when you come home after all the workshops, you will appreciate the lunch buffet waiting for you!
Share a bedroom with more people, and you’ll pay less!
- TWIN: this is one bedroom with two sleeping places. This can be one double bed, or two single beds. Ideal for partners, two friends or attendants that want to share a room.
- SHARED: Premium sharing or Apartment 4 p You can choose a single bed, and for partners there are double bed options.
- PRIVATE: this means you’ll have a private bedroom, or private apartment
There are different options for room sharing;
- Share with partner or friends – You can give us your preferences, and we’ll put you in the room with the people you want. Twin rooms are ideal for partners.
- Share with other attendees – You don’t need to know other attendees to share a room! 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 share a bedroom with the same- or another gender. Share a room for a lower price, and get to know other attendees! Room sharing options are of course depending on how many other people are wanting to share the same type of room, but most of the time we can make a match.
You don’t need to know other attendees to share a room!
If you want to share a room with other attendees, we’ll try to make a match. You can give us your preferences on which room type, and if you want to share a bedroom with the same- or another gender. Share a room to get a lower price, and get to know other attendees! Room-sharing options depend on how many other people are wanting to share the same type of room.
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 buy only your own ticket. When buying the ticket, leave a note that you want to share the room. Or send me a message on WhatsApp +336 3456 0233
The Retreat fee has to be paid in two parts; a deposit ticket, and the remaining fee.
The deposit ticket can be bougt on Flowarsts.Shop. The deposit is non-refundable.
The rest of the fee is due at the start of the retreat, in cash.
COVID DEPOSIT REFUND; We will fully refund your deposit if government rules prevent you from entering Italy. If Italy will go into Covid lock-down, we will fully refund your deposit up to 2 weeks before the start of the retreat. This doesn’t apply to deposits for private apartments.
Please make sure you have travel insurance, so in case you can’t come to the retreat for any reason, you can get the deposit refunded from your insurance.
We advise you to take personal travel insurance, that covers;
– Reimbursement of any pre-booked events or excursions
– Coronavirus cancellation cover
See an example here https://www.allianztravelinsurance.com/quote
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