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In 2022 we plan to return to El Pital Chocolate Paradise and Cacao Farm on the volcanic island of Ometepe, Nicaragua.
We invite YOU, our tribe, to join this experience in paradise. We invite you to find that spark of inspiration in every moment that will stay with you for years to come. To take the chance to be part of something bigger that will remind you of what it means to truly embody the human experience.
Ometepe is located in the largest freshwater lake in Central America, and once was the land that the tribes of the Incas, Aztecs and Mayans would congregate to share medicine. This volcanic land is activated by spirit, with the energies of one active {feminine} and one dormant {masculine} volcano. The perimeter creates the shape of an infinity symbol and is protected as a bioregion. Over 90% of the island’s energy is green, and it has become a haven for permaculture with many farms established for over 20 years, and for natural building. It is also a hub for medicinal plants, plant medicines, ceremonies, energy work and community living. The volcanoes are literally littered with hundreds of petroglyphs of ancient civilizations, and it is rumoured to be one of the energetic hot spots and ascension points of our time.
Circus Island is home to the original Momentom family vibes, and it is our gift to you to join us for the most carefree, creative and inspired pockets of divine freedom in this period of global stress. Much of our team have been in retreat on Ometepe during the COVID-19 pandemic and have experienced a mask-free existence with tons of cacao and connection.
Your days will be filled with magic! Meditation, yoga, aerials, acroyoga, ecstatic dance, contact improv, clown, theatre arts, mermaiding, ceremony, plant medicine, permaculture and events are all part of the schedule at Circus Island. We invite you to join us for all the activities on offer, while at the same time learning what it means to eat directly from the fruit forest that surrounds you, and live in an eco village of cabins. You can visit our neighbours who are building on virgin land using bio construction and growing food with permaculture techniques.
Our neighbours are harvesters and facilitators of some of the most sacred medicines on Earth, and we will offer opportunities to be in regular ritual and ceremony with natures gifts.
Did we mention that you can drink the volcanic spring water straight from the tap?!
LOCATION
Isla Ometepe, Nicaragua
1. El Pital Chocolate Paradise
Official Artist Residency Location
2. Totoco Ecolodge
Coworking space for Digital Nomads
DATES
December 2021 & January 2022
PRICES
$3200 dorm
$3800 twin share
$4500 private
SCHOLARSHIPS
Momentom offers a limited number of Scholarships and Fellowships.
See our scholarship page for more information
WHO
Performance & Movement Artists, Healers, Yogis, Energy Workers, Clowns, Dancers, Aerialists, Acrobats, Object Manipulators, Stilt Walkers, Roving Artists, Choreographers, Body Painters, Festival Tribe, Tantra, Passionate Carnies.
Content Creators, Digital Nomads, Entrepreneurs, Designers, Crypto Freaks, New Earth Visionaries.
In 2019 and 2020, Momentom Collective felt called to shift from performance into Prayerformance. Using ceremony and ritual as a leading tool to create dynamic performances that call on the energies of Pacha Mama and the unseen dimensions, bringing their messages to the stage. These powerful portals have become our signature offering.
Typically we align our performance based residencies with major festivals including Cosmic Convergence and Envision Festival. This year, with Envision cancelled, we will focus our energies on smaller local events, and our Social Circus outreach project where we introduce new conscious concepts to the youth of Nicaragua. The place to plant seeds for true transformation.
What happens when a group of artists from all over the world co-create something beyond themselves and their own ego? Tony Tobias captured the 2020 Prayerformance for Envision Festival in a short documentary.
Momentom’s Circus Island is located in a Chocolate Paradise on the Bioregion of Ometepe. Surrounded by permaculture farms and off-grid living, you will find yourself home amongst creative nomads, movement artists and spiritual seekers. The community on Ometepe is a beautiful one and our neighbours are harvesting medicinal plants, holding ceremony, and pushing forward the plant based movement.
El Pital is located almost directly between two volcanoes that make up the infinity shaped island called Ometepe in Nicaragua. One volcano is active with fire, and the other has a crater lake that creates waterfalls and natural springs. The island of Ometepe is surrounded by a fresh water lake and is home to a tropical jungle.
Our dream is to create and share quality cacao, live in harmony with nature, to thrive and to share our passion for human connection by creating space for people to share their gifts and connect while continuing to nourish our soil and plant trees for the future generations.
Momentom’s community is full of entrepreneurs, content creators, digital nomads and crypto junkies. In light of this, we decided to open a space dedicated to those who want a home base away from the hustle and bustle of residency to balance out group activities with personal projects.
Totoco Ecolodge is an entirely off-grid property fuelled by solar power, and volcanic spring water. Each cabin runs off the solar system and has its own outdoor bathroom with either compost, or flushing toilet, and hot water shower.
Wifi is limited to the main lodge and we recommend guests buy a local chip and bring a wifi booster if they would like to work from their bedroom.
Totoco Ecolodge is perched high up on Volcan Maderas, so you are guaranteed the best view. We will run a car a few times per day, or you may choose to rent your own ATV / moto or walk (down is far easier than up!).
Momentom co-training, co-living and co-working retreats provide everything you need to connect with your tribe and step into the most optimal version of yourself. Circus Island is no exception. We offer all of our standard inclusions, while holding onto the original Momentom family vibes.
On Circus Island we will be specifically focusing on self expression through Circus, Clowning, Theatre, and Performance creation both by skillshare, and with our specially selected Guest Teachers. Opportunities to tap into your performer will be at Social Circus performances, Cabaret Shows, Circus Island Full Moon parties
Your stay on Circus Island will be in a Chocolate Paradise known as El Pital on Ometepe. Ometepe is a Bioregion, and home to many Permaculture farms. El Pital is connected to a working cacao plantation and produces fresh, raw & organic cacao on site! Accommodations are within the fruit forest and you will see first hand an oasis built locally using local materials. An eco-village hub. Your stay at Circus Island includes:
El Pital hosts a mix of jungle Dorm and Private lakeside cabins. You will be immersed in nature for an authentic Nicaraguan jungle island experience. El Pital is a working cacao production site and surrounded in edible gardens. Your stay at Momentom El Pital will allow you to disconnect with the outside world and reconnect with the rhythms of nature and your truest self.
All activities happen at El Pital. You will have unlimited access to Totoco Ecolodge main lodge and pool if you feel you want an escape from the residency, or some time to work on your own projects.
Totoco Ecolodge is a secondary venue for those who would like space away from the pulse of the Artist Residency to work on their own projects.
Totoco has private, double or twin share off-grid cabins available. Each cabin is connected with Solar Power, Volcanic Spring Water and has its own outdoor bathroom with hot water. Cabins have a mix of compost or flush toilet.
Wifi access is in the main lodge, which has its own plant based restaurant run by Momentom. You also have access to the property pool, which has arguably the best view of the sunset on the island.
Momentom will run a car a few times a day. For full autonomy, we recommend hiring an ATV for the month and bringing your own Wifi Booster with local data chip to ensure the most efficient stay possible.
EL PITAL CHOCOLATE PARADISE
Our official Artist Residency venue. This is where the classes, community circles, meals, events, and general action is.
TOTOCO ECOLODGE COWORK HUB
This is the spot to get away off-site to work on your own projects. All residents, regardless of where they are booked in have access to the main lodge and pool.
CAFE CAMPESTRE
Our favourite farm to table restaurant with Optic Fibre internet. Conventiently located walking distance to both venues. Please buy something if you want to use this space.
THERESE LOWTON
Momentom Co-Founder
Yoga, Pranayama, Meditation
Performance Coordinator
Aerial Silks, Events, Ritual & Plant Medicine Ceremony,
Design, Web & Brand Dev
JOHN EARLY
Momentom Co-Founder
Yoga, Meditation
Chakra Toning
Published Author
Musician, Singer Songwriter
Podcast, Host, Marketing
KAWAHE
Guest Teacher
Embodied Movement Arts
Fire Dance & Props
Performance Techniques
Visual & Visionary Artist
Reiki Healer
HOLLY CLARK
Guest Teacher
Transformational Facilitator Healer/Guide Metaphysical Teacher Ceremonial Practitioner Women’s Circles Transformational Circles
MARLENE SOLANO
Guest Teacher
Aerial Silks
Aerial Conditioning
Choreography
Partner Aerial
Dance & Choreography
ALEX PAYASO
Guest Teacher
Sacred Clown
Conditioning
Hand Balancing
Cyr Wheel
Crystal Contact Ball
JONNY KARROLL
Guest Teacher
Lead Yoga Teacher
Yogic Philosophy
Acroyoga
Flow Arts
Sacred Clown
KRYSTEL OUELLETE
Artist Scholar
TONY TOBIAS
Content Creator
Videography
Content Creation
Tricking & Parkour
Fire Artist
LUISMA
Head Chef
Plant Based Nutrition
Master of Ceremony
Steward of Sacred Fire
Yoga Teacher
Momentom Collective has a humanitarian initiative with a mission to give back to the local community through play, circus yoga and games. At our core, we believe in the power of circus and yoga as activities conducive for self, social and economic development. We encourage all of our artists to get involved to get to know and give back to the local community.
Circus Island has a focus on workshops for the local community to bring light to communities that have experienced significant unrest since 2018. One of the greatest gifts we can give to this community is to demonstrate play, collaboration and share laughter. To shine our light, and to show that adults don’t need to be so serious, and we can communicate from our hearts.
