back to basics

fall movement event

Friday-Sunday October 17-19th
10am-5pm
Boulder, CO

It’s time to go back to basics — with a twist.

It’s “all the things we wish we were taught” when we first started (or restarted) training, moving and dancing.

Two world-class, veteran teachers.

Three days of movement.

Infinite learning to re-inspire you.

Still buzzing from our Spring Movement Event in April, we can’t wait to welcome these two legendary teachers and global movement innovators to our home right here in Boulder, Colorado.

what to expect

  • 3 days of movement exploration, including: ground movement, acrobatics, partnering practices, spine articulation

  • Expert facilitation by Shai Faran & Rodrigo Salulima – two of the world’s most innovative teachers in the field

  • Movement tasks focused on: coordination, agility, timing, athleticism, footwork — inspired by various Brazilian dance styles

  • Improvisation and dance prompts exploring: body awareness, rhythm, expression, textures, musicality

Location

Friday-Saturday: Avalon Ballroom
6185 Arapahoe Rd, Boulder, CO 80303
Sunday: JCC Boulder
6007 Oreg Ave Boulder, CO 80303

Daily Schedule

Session 1: 10am-1pm
Break: 1pm-2pm
Session 2: 2-5pm

who it’s for

All levels are welcome — from curious newcomers hungry to learn, to advanced practitioners seeking a fresh challenge.

Whether you’re a mover, weightlifter, dancer, athlete, acrobat, handbalancer, teacher or yogi — you’ll walk away with new movement insights and lots of inspiration.

The only PREREQUISITE:

Bring an open mind, curiosity, and willingness to try new concepts (and probably step out of your comfort zone).

YOUR TEACHERS

  • Shai Faran is a world-renowned dancer, teacher and choreographer currently based in Europe. Her unique approach to movement, contemporary dance and improvisation inspires us every time — from her approach to body awareness and articulations to interactive partnering and musicality.

    Over her many years of researching, teaching and performing around the world, she has collaborated with movement teachers like Ido Portal and choreographers such as Jule Flierl. 

    From professional dancers to non-dancers and beginners, she has taught around the world for all-levels. Beyond teaching, recently she has been developing her own artistic work and working as a freelance dancer and choreographer. Shai joined Cullberg Dance Company in 2024.

    If you’ve come to one of our retreats, you already know how powerful and transformative Shai’s work is, and we are so excited to welcome her back to Colorado.

  • Rodrigo Salulima is a veteran movement teacher and founder of Pratique Movimento based in Brasilia, Brazil. He has been a student of Ido Portal since 2013.

    Rodrigo’s work focuses on many of the foundations we practice at Ape Co, including strength training, calisthenics, agility, coordination and body awareness. He is influenced by Brazilian dance — incorporating rhythm and coordination drills to build athleticism and mental fitness.

    In his free time, he is passionate about syntropic farming, a regenerative method of cultivating land into a rich ecosystem. Rodrigo often draws analogies from the farming practice to the movement practice, such as how syntropic develops from the simple to the complex.

last time, we sold out.

Book your spot early and get 20% off your ticket.

why book early?

this time, fewer spots are available. and limited spots for each pricing tier.

Don’t be one of the people we have to turn down. (We really don’t want to have to turn you down.)

Help support our small business.

When you buy an early bird ticket, you’re supporting the hard-working humans who make this happen, and helping us cover the expenses and resources it takes to host this event and our incredible teachers. Thank you!

only thrU July 15th!

Lock in your early bird rate

Community Tier:
Student / Artist / Low-Income

$349 $449

Standard Tier:
Financially Stable*

$529 $649

Supporter Tier:
Financially Secure* / Able to Support Others

$679 $849

Sponsor: Pay it Forward
Covers one Community Tier student

$1000

*Not sure which tier is for you? Check out our FAQ.

 frequently asked questions

    • Community Tier: For students, artists, teachers, nonprofit workers, or those with limited income. Choose this tier if you regularly are concerned with meeting your basic needs* and do not generally have expendable income. We created this tier to make the workshop accessible to those with fewer financial resources.

    • Standard Tier: For individuals with stable income who can cover the full cost of the workshop without financial hardship. This is the true cost of your participation. Choose this tier if you are occasionally concerned about meeting basic needs*, but most of the time are able to make ends meet.

    • Supporter Tier: For those doing well financially with expendable income and are able to support others. Your contribution helps keep this event accessible for others in the community who otherwise could not attend.

    • Sponsor: Pay it forward while reserving your spot. This generous option covers your ticket plus one Community Tier student. Thank you!

    *Basic needs: food, water, shelter, clothing

  • To cover expenses and compensate our incredible teachers for the full value of their work, we are not able to offer free/work-trade ticket options at this time. We created the Community Tier and Early Bird rate to hopefully make this event accessible for all. If you have any specific concerns, just reach out.

  • We will not be offering day passes at this time.

  • Though it can be helpful to have a baseline level of athleticism and stamina, if you’re someone who is willing to try new things, stay curious, and self-manage or modify for what you need, please join us. For specific injuries, contact us with any questions and always check with a medical professional you trust.

  • Sure. More details coming soon!

  • By Car

    The Avalon Ballroom and JCC Boulder are about 35 minutes from Downtown Denver and 45 minutes from Denver International Airport, pending traffic.

    We recommend allowing up to an hour during peak traffic hours.

    By Public Transportation

    Busses are available from the airport or downtown Denver to Boulder with a transfer.