If you are a dance teacher who’s ready to take yourself off the back burner, feel the tension in your body melt away and discover the secrets of optimal performance to use in your life and in the studio, join Deborah Vogel for a rejuvenating retreat adventure.

As you walk amidst towering oak trees and gaze at the olive groves blanketing the rolling green hills in front of you, a gentle wind caresses your face – delivering with it the calming aroma of lavender.

Your senses are singing with delight as you take in nature’s bounty and reflect on the extraordinary day you just had soaking in therapeutic natural hot springs, exploring a medieval village and sampling artisanal cheeses at a centuries old cheese emporium.

An incredible dinner derived from the land you just explored awaits you, lovingly prepared by the staff at the certified organic farmstead you’re calling home for the next week. You’re filled with a feeling of satisfaction as you relish the cornucopia of Italian delights, and the incredible connections you’re sharing with your amazing new dance teacher friends.

Ahh…. the beauty of Tuscany…

· Stretching out your stress & deepening into the natural rhythms of your body

· Uncovering how to prioritize your students’ success without sacrificing yourself

· Recharging your energy while exploring leading edge training techniques

· Learning powerhouse short cuts to body conditioning that will amp up the bodies of your students (and you, too)!

· Discovering the latest techniques & strategies for integrative learning practices so your students can up their game while taking care of their bodies.

· Developing an easy-to-follow & effective time management plan so you can share your passion of movement with your students while maintaining a healthy body, mind and spirit.

After nonstop planning, teaching, choreographing, mentoring and nurturing of your students – all while wearing multiple hats of mom, partner, teacher, business owner, teacher – it’s time for some much deserved “you” time.

Feeling frustrated that you’re so busy taking care of everyone else that you don’t have any time left over for YOU?

Time to switch gears! Through inspirational guidance and energizing practices, you’ll discover just how easy it can be to make yourself a priority no matter how hectic your life is back home.  Let the pampering begin!

Want to better understand how to train students who don’t have the perfect body?

Get ready for insights galore! We’ll talk extensively about how to work with the common challenges teachers face in training the wide variety of bodies that come into class. After all, everyone should be able to experience the joy of dancing.

Longing to have your dancer’s body back but feeling clueless about how to make your own well-being a top priority?

Mystery solved!  Once you discover my body conditioning secrets, you’ll have a simple daily practice you can take home and integrate into your daily schedule.  The time to fall in love with your body again starts now!

Does your heart break when you see your students sabotage themselves because of their negative self-talk and lack of confidence?

A Mindset Shift is in Order! After you steep yourself in tried and tested inner dialogue techniques, you’ll feel empowered to help your students change up not only their relationships with themselves, but their results.  Talk about a win-win!

Wanting to talk all things technique so you can improve your approach to training your students?

Let’s do it!  After you immerse yourself in the latest research and strategies for training your dancers, you’ll bring the best of yourself to the studio (and bring out the best in your students). That’s a huge win-win!

Set in the heart of Tuscany, cradled between medieval hilltop towns and surrounded by woodlands, vineyards, olive groves and mountain streams. A private haven ideally suited to creative exploration and spiritual practice: with its spectacular views and untouched landscapes, it imparts a real sense of freedom.

The estate is an IMC certified organic farmstead with more than 80% of it's energy coming from renewable sources (solar panels and sustainable managed wood) and all the water comes directly from the mountain spring.

The property offers a variety of rooming options, mostly with private bathrooms, and beautiful, spacious indoor and outdoor yoga facilities.

The wonderful Elena and the Basile family, originally from Napoli, will be our hosts and will welcome you with the warmest of Italian hospitality, making sure that your Tuscan vacation is simply "fantastic, fantastic, fantastic...!".

Your flight should arrive into Rome ANYTIME on Friday 06 July and depart from Rome anytime AFTER 2.00pm on Saturday 14 July. You will make your own arrangements for transport from the airport to the group  hotel in Rome, but will be dropped at the airport on the way back. (see more details below in the Arrival/Departure Itinerary)

Angus and Tania of Chirriposa Retreats will be your retreat hosts for the whole week, and there will be rental vehicles (9 seater mini-vans) and drivers at your disposal throughout the retreat, giving you the freedom to visit as many medieval villages and towns as our hearts desire.

· Wine tasting & tour, alpaca farm, thermal hot springs, horseback riding, hiking, cooking demonstration!
· Excursions and day trips to Montepulciano, Pienza, Bagno Vignoni, Pitigliano, Saturnia, Monte Amiata
· Bodywork - reflexology, deep tissue massage, hot rocks, spa treatments
· Lots of cute little furry animals (cats, dog, horses, donkeys, pigs, chickens, ducks...) to cuddle!

PASSPORTS & TRAVEL INSURANCE: At this point, we would like to remind you to check that your passports are valid for travel and have at least 3 months left on them from time of departure for Europe. 

We would also like to remind you to purchase a travel insurance, which will cover you in case of any cancellation, loss or theft of belongings and medical emergency. This can either be done through your credit card company, airline or travel agent. You can also purchase a travel insurance here during checkout. 

Please note that Chirriposa will be available to assist you, but will not be responsible for any cancellation fees, lost or stolen items or medical expenses incurred during the trip. 

You will also be required to sign a ‘Liability Waiver’ and accept our 'Cancellation and refund Policy'  upon checkout.      

WEATHER: Usually very hot. July is the hottest month of the year, with several days with temperatures ranging between 28-35°C (82.4-95°F) during the day and 22-27°C (71.6-80.6°F) at night. ... And there are heat waves like we are experiencing these days where temperatures reach 40°C (104°F).

WHAT TO WEAR: Pack light summer clothes and don’t forget your swimsuits for the pool and visiting the hot springs. Also remember to pack a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. However, you should also be prepared for cooler days and nights. For those of you who want to go hiking, cycling or horseback riding, we suggest you bring suitable footwear. A pair of running shoes would be highly recommended. 

WATER: In Rome, we cannot vouch for the quality of the tap water and, therefore, we recommend buying bottled water for drinking. However, at the retreat center, the water in the villa comes directly from a natural spring and is excellent drinking quality. It makes sense to bring your own water bottle and fill it for your daily use.   

ELECTRICITY: Electricity in Italy, as in the rest of Europe, comes out of the wall socket at 220 volts alternating at a 50 cycles per second. In the US, electricity comes out of the wall socket at 110 volts, alternating at 60 cycles per second. Not only the voltages and frequencies, but also the sockets themselves are different. You can get along with just a plug converter for many of today's small electrical devices designed to run on dual voltages. Devices like this include most laptops and recently produced battery chargers and many small electrical gadgets, especially those designed for world travel.  

PHONE & INTERNET: There is free Wi-Fi in our hotel in Rome. There is limited cell phone signal on the property in Tuscany, but we will have free Wi-Fi access in the communal areas of the villa. However, please try to disconnect as much as possible.

YOGA MATS + PROPS: Yoga mats, blocks, straps and blankets are available at the yoga shala. However, you may prefer to travel with your own mat. 

BUGS: July can be a bad time of year for mosquitoes and horse flies. Most bites occur during sunset/sunrise or in shady places in the forest. It is best that you bring a good insect repellent with you. You might also like to wear long pants in the evenings.  

SHEETS AND TOWELS: All your rooms will have fresh sheets and towels provided. Your rooms will be cleaned mid week and new towels and linens provided on request. You should bring a towel for the pool or for visiting the hot springs. Otherwise a sarong will also work well and be much lighter to pack.

MONEY: The currency in Italy is the Euro (€). €1.00 equals around $1.25  $1.00 equals €0.8 You can pay us directly for any optional tours, activities, bodywork and beverages together at the end of the week in cash ($ or €). You will be able to take money out of the ATM using your debit and credit cards. We may also receive payment via Paypal, but you will be charged a 5% service and Paypal fee.  

FOOD: We will offer a range of traditional vegetarian and non vegetarian Italian meals, incorporating organic vegetables that are grown on the property and local produce from nearby villages and markets. Please inform us of any dietary requirements or restrictions ahead of time and we will try our best to accommodate you. Also if you have any allergies, please let us know in advance.  

ALCOHOL: Organic wine, produced on the property, and local liquors will be served with meals. Outside of mealtimes, we will operate an honesty system, where you can write down what you consume and settle up at the end of the week.  

NOTE. It is permitted to consume your own wine on the property, but you will be charged a €6 corkage fee for each bottle opened.

SECURITY: There is not much need for strict security measures at the retreat center, however, there are keys for all the rooms and we can also lock away your passports etc. for you in the main safe. NB. Please be extra careful of your valuables and belongings in Florence, especially on the public transport, as there are a lot of pickpockets around. 

LAUNDRY: There is a laundry service available at the villa, but costs €5 per wash. However, if you only have a few items, we can arrange to do a group wash most days.