7–11 April 2027

Slovenian Zouk Retreat

with William Wegert & Brenda Carvalho

Intention

Sometimes the most meaningful growth happens when we slow down, listen, and build from within.

This retreat is an invitation to step out of rush and into presence; not to collect more moves, but to deepen your connection with yourself, your partner, and the music that moves you.

Led by Brenda Carvalho and William Wegert: world-renowned artists and deeply embodied dance souls. This immersive experience is rooted in years of shared exploration, collaboration, and discovery.

William and Brenda dancing freely on a beach at dusk.

An exclusive retreat
for just 10 couples

A rare opportunity to step out of everyday rhythm and into a few days of calm, presence, and shared experience. Surrounded by nature in Slovenia, we gather with a simple intention: to reconnect with ourselves, with each other, and with a deeper sense of presence in our dance.

Through workshops, shared meals, unhurried conversations, and plenty of dancing, we create an atmosphere where nothing is rushed and everything can unfold naturally.

Level required: Intermediate

Our whole group sitting together in a circle on the grass, practising under the trees.

Main focus

Stepping, grounding & head movement technique
Elasticity, quality of touch & connection refinement
Creative structure & playful exploration
Awareness practices inspired by Eutonia & mindfulness
Space to reconnect with what you want your dance to feel like

William and Brenda laughing as they dance in a close embrace, her hand on his head, in a bright studio.

The experience

A spacious rhythm with a well-held structure

Guided workshops & practice

20 hours led by Brenda and William, with a focus on grounding, connection, and embodied movement.

Evening socials

Intentionally curated social dance evenings for integration, connection, and shared presence.

Somatic practice

A morning somatic practice from Thursday to Sunday, to arrive in your body before the day's workshops, with awareness practices inspired by Eutonia and mindfulness.

Accommodation & transport

From Wednesday 7 April to Sunday 11 April 2027, in a beautiful retreat space surrounded by nature, with organized group transport to and from the retreat center from Ljubljana.

All meals

From Wednesday dinner to Sunday lunch: vegetarian-based, nourishing, and thoughtfully prepared. Includes breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, and drinks.

Group activities & time to rest

Every afternoon is left open for group and social activities, time alone, or simply rest, so the days never feel overwhelming.

Schedule

Day 1Wed 7 April

16:00–18:00Check-in
18:00–19:30Opening circle
19:30–20:30Dinner
20:30–00:00Welcome social

Day 2Thu 8 April

8:30–9:30Breakfast
10:00–11:00Somatic practice
11:30–13:30Session 1
14:00–15:00Lunch
15:00–17:30Rest / social activities
17:30–19:30Session 2
19:30–20:30Dinner
21:00–00:00Social

Day 3Fri 9 April

8:30–9:30Breakfast
10:00–11:00Somatic practice
11:30–13:30Session 3
14:00–15:00Lunch
15:00–17:30Rest / social activities
17:30–19:30Session 4
19:30–20:30Dinner
21:00–00:00Social

Day 4Sat 10 April

8:30–9:30Breakfast
10:00–11:00Somatic practice
11:30–13:30Session 5
14:00–15:00Lunch
15:00–17:30Rest / social activities
17:30–19:30Session 6
19:30–20:30Dinner
21:00–00:00Social

Day 5Sun 11 April

8:30–9:30Breakfast
10:00–11:00Somatic practice
11:30–13:30Session 7
14:00–15:00Lunch
15:00–17:00Session 8
17:00–18:00Closing circle
18:00Departure to Ljubljana

Moments from our retreat

Circles on the grass, practice under blossoming trees, fires at night, and sunsets over the hills.

1–3 of 11

Only 10 couples. First come, first served.

Once the spots are filled, registration closes.

Your teachers

William Wegert & Brenda Carvalho

Their collaboration

For over a year now, Brenda and William have been working together.

What began as shared curiosity has grown into a true creative partnership: a year of exploring, testing, and refining how they teach and dance side by side. This retreat is the second time they bring it all into an immersive retreat format.

They blend their signature approach to connection, grounding, and organic movement with space for integration, curiosity, and real transformation. It's an intimate invitation to step inside their process and feel how technique, presence, and embodiment weave together.

William smiling, sitting among green plants in a black long-sleeved top.

William Wegert

William began his movement journey through martial arts, becoming a 4th degree Black Belt by 18 and accumulating thousands of hours of teaching experience.

“It's not about what you do, but how you do it.”

With a superpower for simplifying complexity, William brings together precision and presence, balancing technical mastery with body awareness. Within just four years of starting Zouk, he became an international instructor, traveling the world to share his passion for growth and connection.

Brenda arching back with her arms raised and long hair falling, against misty hills.

Brenda Carvalho

Brenda is a world-renowned Brazilian Zouk artist whose powerful presence and graceful movement have inspired dancers around the globe to begin their own Zouk journey.

“Dance with what is alive.”

With a background in Samba de Gafieira and the ability to move fluently across dance styles, she brings a strong foundation of technique blended with deep awareness and connection.

Brenda emphasizes conscious movement and the art of being fully present.

Learn with them for five days.

Only 10 couples. First come, first served.

The venue

Gaia Retreat Center, a quiet, nature-based place in the Slovenian countryside.

Surrounded by forests and open land, Gaia is far from the noise of the city and everyday rhythm, and since the moment we arrived, we could feel that things move a bit slower there.

Gaia is run by an older couple who chose to restore their family's country home and turn it into a retreat space. For them, this place is not just a venue, but something they treat as sacred: a space for presence, care, and gathering. That intention is felt throughout the center, in the way the space is held and in the atmosphere it creates.

The center offers a dedicated dance and workshop shala, cozy common areas to sit, talk, and rest, a shared dining space, and beautiful outdoor areas to enjoy nature between sessions. There is also a park, a small natural pool, and a sauna.

The retreat grounds in golden autumn light: a natural pool, a fire circle with a carved eagle totem, and rolling forested hills.

The dance and workshop shala: a warm wooden hall with a sunlit floor, a stone wall and French doors to the garden.

A blossoming tree and a sunny lawn in the retreat park.

Food & healthy lifestyle

Nourishment is part of the practice. What you eat, how you rest, and how you move through the day all shape how you dance.

All meals are vegetarian-based, nourishing, and thoughtfully prepared. They run from Wednesday dinner to Sunday lunch and include breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, and drinks.

Meals are shared at one long table, three times a day, and are a real part of the rhythm: unhurried, nourishing, and made to leave you energised rather than heavy. Water, tea, and light snacks are there whenever you need them.

Each morning begins with a gentle somatic practice, before the first workshop. Afternoons are left open for rest, a walk in nature, or a conversation, so your body has time to absorb what it learns.

There is no pressure to do more. Simply sleep well, eat well, move gently, and let the days settle into a healthy rhythm that you can take home with you.

Retreat participants sitting together on a stone wall, watching the sun set over the green hills.

The chef smiling and carrying three fresh, colourful bowls.

A bowl of creamy pumpkin soup with fresh parsley, a wooden spoon and pumpkin seeds.

Accommodation

Simple, warm, and retreat-style, with shared rooms.

The accommodation is simple, warm, and retreat-style, with shared rooms that naturally invite a sense of community. It's not about luxury, but about comfort, ease, and feeling at home while sharing the experience with others.

A simple, bright shared room with wooden single beds, a bedside table and a beam in the ceiling.

The shared bathroom with blue mosaic tiles, three washbasins and a washing machine.

Eat well, sleep well, dance well.

All meals and accommodation are included.

From Ljubljana

Getting there

Group transport from Ljubljana to the retreat center and back is included.

01
Travel to Ljubljana
Plan your arrival in Ljubljana on Wednesday 7 April 2027. The city's airport is Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (LJU).
02
Join the group transport
After your registration, and as the date comes closer, we will organize the group transport and send you all the details. The meeting point is the bus station in Ljubljana. You can also come on your own or with your own car.
03
Check in at Gaia Retreat Center
Check-in is on Wednesday 7 April from 16:00 to 18:00, followed by the opening circle. Gaia Retreat Center is in Koštabona, near Koper. Open in Google Maps.
04
Travel back to Ljubljana
Group transport to Ljubljana leaves at 18:00 on Sunday 11 April, after the closing circle.

Transport is included.

You only need to get to Ljubljana.

All-inclusive, per person

Prices

An intimate, all-inclusive experience for only 10 couples.

Early commitment

810 €Per person. Until 30 November 2026.

Regular price

880 €Per person. Until 31 January 2027.

Last minute

950 €Per person

First come, first served. Once the spots are filled, registration closes.

Everything is covered