Tickets on sale now! August 28, 2026 7pm at the Newport Theater. Click for tickets & more information.
Join Gaea at Caryatis Farm for a weekend of fiber arts magic at the place where Beauty Grows. Your wildness is a thing of power. Nourishing connection with time, energy, movement, and nature can re-establish sweet flow into your life. This fall equinox, reset yourself over a weekend & commune with Artful living at the nourishing land of Caryatis Farm in Waldo, Wisconsin.
Life is art ♡
This retreat focuses on one of my favorite processes- natural dyeing! We deepen our connection with the land as we learn to experiment with wild color. WATCH THE PROCESS HERE! And the Muse Video here so you can feel what the weekend might be like.
In this retreat we will:
Dye a silk veil (or pillowcase, raw fabric to sew, etc…) with seasonal plants gathered from the farm - tbd depending on what is available! This process takes a full day - harvesting, sorting, boiling, straining, mordanting, dipping, rinsing, washing, hanging. You take your own silk veil home! Gaea will pre-sew a variety of silk veils (& maybe pillowcases) for you to choose from.
Bring your own fabric to dye in the vats once everyone dyes their first project.
Veil & Authentic Movement classes will activate our bodies, movement moves intention through in real space & time. A veil class, dance church, and whenever you want to move.
Spaciousness allows time to joyfully relish human connections to nourish ourselves during the dance of the dye process.
Easy rituals will pepper our days as we ground into deep summer rewilding.
Fire dance in the circle, first burns are welcomed.
The Eta Aquariids meteor shower will be visible that weekend from the farm - at it’s peak!
NEW FOR 2026 add on an Indigo dye lab Sunday afternoon-Monday morning Sept 20-21. See the schedule below for details.
Meals:
Caryatis home cooks Friday dinner - Sunday brunch! (indigo lab add-on meals thru Monday breakfast!). Please indicate any dietary request in the registration form so we have ample time to prepare.
Where You can Stay:
Tony & Alayne’s home… IS FULL!!! (they have a spare room, a futon, and lots of big comfy couches … but most are now spoken for. we can put mattresses on the floow)
Tent Camp in the fields in your own personal camping nook! RECOMMENDED
Campers and Vans welcomed, too. BYO tent, sleeping bag, mattress, pillow, lights, etc… no hookups for pump outs, but can run you an extension cord. We can rent you a neighbor’s camper for $100!
local area hotels are easy, and well priced. search for Waldo or Plymouth, Wisconsin
Getting there:
Caryatis Farm, W5798 WI-28, Waldo, WI 53093
3 hours from downtown Chicago
2 hours from Madison, WI
1 hour from Milwaukee, WI - you can take a train up, & we can help arrange a rideshare or you can uber from there with 1 week notice. Friday arrivals preferred before dinnertime.
Tentative SCHEDULE:
Friday
Arrive afternoon/evening to Caryatis Farms and settle in
Gaea talks thru a brief overview of the dye process
Grounding Ritual
Sunset silk flow mini class to pick out your veil
Prep for dye process: mordant our veils overnight
Dinner
Fire Dancing & Bonfire - if energy and weather aligns
Saturday
Coffee, Tea + Fruit
Morning meditation ritual plant walk to pick dye plants, scrape bark, & gather flowers
Breakfast
Build a fire. Prepare dye-stuff to immerse in vats & simmer to create dye.
Lunch
Dye Veils! As the cauldrons bubble to deepen intensity, we introduce restraint methods (Shibori TieDye). We rinse out and let dry when finished on the line.
Free time for crafts, dancing etc… Dye fabric you brought with you (natural fibers only, cotton, silk, wool, hemp, leather, etc…)
Dinner
Fire Dancing as the Cauldrons can keep boiling to keep dyeing.
Sunday
Coffee, Tea, Brunch
Finish dyeing early.
”Dance Church” Ecstatic Movement Class with your silk veil led by Gaea
Tidy up cauldron area, wash bins & pots, clean up.
Leftovers for lunch
Departures by 1pm (if you aren’t staying for Indigo Lab)
INDIGO DYE LAB begins ($111 add on). We mix 1-2 pre-reduced indigo vats (chemistry!) and watch BLUE color appear as it oxidizes from green to deep blues.
Dinner
Free time & Rest. Gaea leads indoor slow stretch & meditation OR fire dance?
Monday INDIGO DYE LAB only (add on)
Tea, Coffee, Breakfast
Last indigo & hot cauldron dips
Clean up everything
Lunch
Departures by 2pm
WHO
Calling in up to 12 individuals for an intimate group. no dance, dye, or nature experience is necessary. All bodies are welcomed with open arms and hearts. 18+.
PRICE
I am offering a sliding scale- pay what you can in the drop down for this retreat - in efforts to support all who wish to attend and allow for a system of value to be guided by you, the attendee.
$333-555 includes all classes, dye materials & a silk veil/pillowcases, shared accommodations or camping, meals. Please pay what you truly can - extra $ helps value Gaea & Caryatis!
ADD ONS:
$111 indigo dye lab add on, per person
$101 extra silk veil to dye (one is included). We will have many onsite
Weighted Silk Veils in Stock
Oh hello, bright one. Do you want a veil that GLOWS IN UV BLACKLIGHT?
Open your heart to the stars, and further… to the galaxies beyond… but they exist within you as well! This bright, vibrant silk veil is PERFECT for a bright day, or bringing vivacity to dark times. or, perfect for a dark night… with blacklight helping you GLOW.
Video
https://youtube.com/shorts/1pBFp2xScAc?is=hdYI1wXMmkXTeYPO
Each weighted silk veil is a unique art piece, created by Gaea Lady (assisted by Laine Bones). This style of ‘flow prop’ is designed to get you out of your head and into your body by enveloping both dancer and viewers in high quality Chinese silk. It is accessible to beginners, yet offers complexity for years and years of devoted explorations & refinement. The weighted edge ‘leads’ the rest of the veil, offering more direction than just a silk veil itself. A whole flow-losophy has emerged out of Gaea’s experience with this prop, and she teaches online via classes & tours sharing it. Versatile: costume, garment, skirt, cape, wrap ; as a decorative element in the home ; and as flow prop that can be used in a myriad of ways. (This design is the product of 10+ years of development and refinement by Gaea herself, please do not replicate without permission! )
Size (approx) : 7.5ft x 55in with a diagonal tail opposite the weighted edge
Movement : This medium style veil is the best of both worlds - it’s large enough to mostly wrap most bodies & small enough to avoid the tangles of large veils in small spaces. These tend to be easier for beginners starting their flow journey, yet large enough to create big flow impact that many want in a veil dance. If held close to the weighted tip, one can get a lot of inner rotation work in, or if held far a very big throw for big spaces.
Fabric : 8mm lightweight Chinese silk. water-like, buttery, sleek, sturdy.
Dye: triple acid dyed & slow dipped.
Each veil purchase comes with a “Care & Keeping” sheet with a link to free intro classes & silk veil challenges.
If you’d like YOUR own vision, request a custom order.
"Gaea?! What's the difference of Shapes & Weights?" : watch Large Options OR Medium & Small
Other store items: Large, Medium weighted veils or Small + Flag Pair Veils
Learn the art & technique of veils with Online Classes
4.5 ft x 55in
Rainbows swirl around you, a perfect brightness to dream your biggest ideas. The sheer of the fabric is airy and whipping, as you cast spells with your movement and invoke your highest desires into being. These diaphanous silken wings are perfect to take flight while having just the right amount of bend with their tails for internal rotations and technique. they will TAKE UP SPACE! Transport yourself!
Note: these will be a challenge in flags for a newbie - but they can be used individually, with a friend, or one at a time until you put the practice hours in to use them seamlessly!
https://youtube.com/shorts/oEU_q8fbDJc?is=zaBwJnApxqrlktbH
Each weighted silk veil is a unique art piece, created by Gaea Lady (assisted by Laine Bones). This style of ‘flow prop’ is designed to get you out of your head and into your body by enveloping both dancer and viewers in high quality Chinese silk. It is accessible to beginners, yet offers complexity for years and years of devoted explorations & refinement. The weighted edge ‘leads’ the rest of the veil, offering more direction than just a silk veil itself. A whole flow-losophy has emerged out of Gaea’s experience with this prop, and she teaches online via classes & tours sharing it. Versatile: costume, garment, skirt, cape, wrap ; as a decorative element in the home ; and as flow prop that can be used in a myriad of ways. (This design is the product of 10+ years of development and refinement by Gaea herself, please do not replicate without permission! )
Size (approx) : 4.5 ft x 55in with a long diagonal tail opposite the weighted edge
Movement : Flags are smaller veils that move quicker & are perfect for small & tight spaces or crowds. They allow you to explore fast & furious technical movements - especially in pairs to allow you to use both hands at once (BOOM! brain expansion). They are compact and can be hidden easily in costumes/pockets/bags, and are great for travel. Flags are what Gaea started with, and are the BEST for honing technique.
Fabric : 5mm ultralight weight, wafty, sheer, light. burnout fabric
Dye: acid dyed & slow dipped.
Each veil purchase comes with a “Care & Keeping” sheet with a link to free intro classes & silk veil challenges.
If you’d like YOUR own vision, request a custom order.
"Gaea?! What's the difference of Shapes & Weights?" : watch Large Options OR Medium & Small
Other store items: Large, Medium weighted veils or Small + Flag Pair Veils
Learn the art & technique of veils with Online Classes
You gaze over the Caribbean Sea from your vantagepoint, the turquoise teal blue to is stunning and mesmerizing… This veil travels you to the ocean itself.
Inspired by the waters of the Caribbean as experienced from St Croix, USVI, where Gaea has spent much time staring at the waters aloft from Villa Larimar on the Northshore, and snorkeling and swimming in the rich sealife at almost every beach. (It is also Laine’s favorite color, and this style veil was first created for Kiki.) This is a color that opens the soul itself to the vastness and potential. Teal enlightens & calms, invigorates and creates trust bonds.
This veil features a crystalline pattern that mimics the way sunlight refracts through water, as seen from below the waterline on a clear clear day.
This silk can open you to deeper trust within, should you choose.
3 OPTIONS! (in order of photos above) click for video
green teal blue seas
Each weighted silk veil is a unique art piece, created by Gaea Lady (assisted by Laine Bones). This style of ‘flow prop’ is designed to get you out of your head and into your body by enveloping both dancer and viewers in high quality Chinese silk. It is accessible to beginners, yet offers complexity for years and years of devoted explorations & refinement. The weighted edge ‘leads’ the rest of the veil, offering more direction than just a silk veil itself. A whole flow-losophy has emerged out of Gaea’s experience with this prop, and she teaches online via classes & tours sharing it. Versatile: costume, garment, skirt, cape, wrap ; as a decorative element in the home ; and as flow prop that can be used in a myriad of ways. (This design is the product of 10+ years of development and refinement by Gaea herself, please do not replicate without permission! )
Size (approx) : 9ft x 55in with a diagonal tail opposite the weighted edge
Movement : This large style veil is big enough to wrap most bodies, and flutters sumptuously with the tail diagonal edge in curvaceous shapes that are varied and infinite. Ideal for larger spaces (but can be adapted for smaller with skill) this large shape takes up space! I recommend you move your body a lot when dancing with large veils. [The dyed color spot on this veil creates more spiral movement for the eye, making your swirls catching and fetching.]
Fabric : 5mm lightweight sheer silk. wafty, delicate, beautifully airy.
Dye: triple acid dyed & slow dipped.
Each veil purchase comes with a “Care & Keeping” sheet with a link to free intro classes & silk veil challenges.
If you’d like YOUR own vision, request a custom order.
"Gaea?! What's the difference of Shapes & Weights?" : watch Large Options OR Medium & Small
Other store items: Medium weighted veils or Small + Flag Pair Veils
Learn the art & technique of veils with Online Classes
Inspired by the bright neon sunset that mimics the eternal flame of our soulfire , this ultralightweight, iridescent, see-thru veil is long enough to envelop you in its warmth.
The white peeks thru as a white hot burning fire - amplifying the atomsphere around.
Fire coloration reminds us of our passion. hot pinks and reds that slide into fire orange yellows create a sworl when in movement that mimics dancing with fire. Its a way to encase your essence in enlivened forward movement towards your goals... and to become a keeper of the flame ever deeper.
A long tail creates dynamic movement and has a ribbon quality while giving the fullness of a veil.
Is she yours?
VIDEO
Each weighted silk veil is a unique art piece, created by Gaea Lady (assisted by Laine Bones). This style of ‘flow prop’ is designed to get you out of your head and into your body by enveloping both dancer and viewers in high quality Chinese silk. It is accessible to beginners, yet offers complexity for years and years of devoted explorations & refinement. The weighted edge ‘leads’ the rest of the veil, offering more direction than just a silk veil itself. A whole flow-losophy has emerged out of Gaea’s experience with this prop, and she teaches online via classes & tours sharing it. Versatile: costume, garment, skirt, cape, wrap ; as a decorative element in the home ; and as flow prop that can be used in a myriad of ways. (This design is the product of 10+ years of development and refinement by Gaea herself, please do not replicate without permission! )
Size (approx) : 7ft x 55in with a diagonal tail opposite the weighted edge
Movement : This medium style veil is the best of both worlds - it’s large enough to mostly wrap most bodies & small enough to avoid the tangles of large veils in small spaces. These tend to be easier for beginners starting their flow journey, yet large enough to create big flow impact that many want in a veil dance. If held close to the weighted tip, one can get a lot of inner rotation work in, or if held far a very big throw for big spaces.
Fabric : 5mm lightweight sheer silk. wafty, delicate, beautifully airy.
Dye: three-tone triple acid dyed & slow dipped.
Each veil purchase comes with a “Care & Keeping” sheet with a link to free intro classes & silk veil challenges.
If you’d like YOUR own vision, request a custom order.
"Gaea?! What's the difference of Shapes & Weights?" : watch Large Options OR Medium & Small
Other store items: Large, Medium weighted veils or Small + Flag Pair Veils
Learn the art & technique of veils with Online Classes
Let’s dance!
Gaea performs for any occasion from intimate gatherings to large stage audiences. A fully insured professional through and through, tailoring a performance and/or workshop to fit your event is her pleasure. Inquire and start a conversation!
PERFORMANCE OFFERINGS
hula hoop
silk veil
burlesque
fire dancing
bellydance
private parties
MOVEMENT + ACTIVATION OFFERINGS
in person or ONLINE!
Class Membership Portal on Patreon - join for $11-55/month for classes
bellydance
pussy magic burlesque (+bachelorette parties!)
fire dancing + eating + safety
divine bump + grind
intentional performance cultivation + mentorship
ballet, modern, & jazz
flexibility + strength
hoop basics, hoopFIT ,hoopDANCE
choreography
KITCHEN WITCHERY OFFERINGS
creative kimchi
diy organic body care
food as medicine + herbal basics