Dance Residency with Zoe Jakes
Zoe Jakes Dance Residency
All Levels Welcome!
August 30 - September 5, 2025
Join us for a 7 day dance residency for dancers of all levels with master teacher Zoe Jakes on the beautiful Greek Island of Crete!
Stay on or Offsite
Curriculum
Need a getaway to recharge, uplift, and renew your body, soul, and mind?
Fill your cup with Fusion Belly Dance, delicious food, and exploring Crete with an intimate group experience in Paradise!
Our Creative Focus
This dance residency offers a unique opportunity for dancers of all levels to explore aspects of their dance and deeply study Zoe’s unique fusion dance technique and dance conditioning. The group size is kept small to ensure focused attention and feedback.
Level of Experience Required
All Levels Welcome!
Villa Shakti Crete
Villa Shakti Crete is a beautiful sanctuary of art and yoga on the Greek island of Crete where Shakti Summer School Greece takes place – hosting a variety of different Dance, Yoga, Ayurveda and Embodiment Teachings with teachers from around the world. Colleena Shakti and the Villa Shakti team welcomes you home to the vibrant nature, rugged mountains and sparkling beaches of the ‘sunset side’ of the island. This home of intentional art offers you a chance to rejuvenate, re-center and create art without distraction. Healthy home cooked meals and Greek village hospitality awaits you!
Cost
Please have a look at accommodation options, prices are based on your chosen accommodation. This program fills first come first served, so to secure a place in this intimate professional immersion, please fill out your application soon!
About Zoe
Zoe Jakes has been captivating audiences with her unique belly dance style for over 20 years. A founding member of Beats Antique, she blends pop-and-lock isolations, jazz, and folk influences into a dynamic, signature style. As the creator of DanceCraft™, Zoe is a sought-after teacher, sharing her passion worldwide and inspiring dancers of all levels. With performances at Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Bonnaroo, she’s on a mission to bring belly dance to the masses—one powerful, mesmerizing movement at a time.
Sample daily schedule
(Approximate Schedule – Subject to change)
9-10 am – Breakfast
10 am-1 pm – Studio Session: Conditioning & Dance Training
2 pm – Lunch
3-6 pm – Studio Session -OR- Day Trip to local beach
8 pm – Sunset Dinner -OR- Dinner out in Local Taverna
Accommodations
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(2 per room, shared bathroom, includes meals and transport)
The rooms at Villa Shakti includes bath towel set, Greek beach towel, bedding and blankets, table fan, WIFI, access to apartment kitchen, spacious living room and dining area, cable TV. Places are limited. The house is strictly vegetarian.
Includes:
25 hours Training
Double Share Room at Villa Shakti
15 Healthy Vegetarian meals per week (dinners at local tavernas are not covered)
Transportation (Day trips, Airport Pick up and Drop off)
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(up to 5 per room, shared bathroom, includes meals and transport)
These traditional restored apartments are a 10 minute walk from Villa Shakti on peaceful a country road. The apartments are in a rustic traditional village with a plentiful organic garden, traditional orthodox church, goats, a fresh spring fountain and many flowers!
Includes:
25 hours Training
Village Apartment (either Double Share or Dorm)
15 Healthy Vegetarian meals per week (dinners at local tavernas are not covered)
Transportation (Day trips, Airport Pick up and Drop off
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(Includes lunch only. Does not Include any transport.)
If you are looking for more privacy, you will find many other villas and rentals nearby our village of Aikirgiannis (Topolia). We suggest you have a look at Airbnb or booking.com. We recommend looking in the Topolia area and no farther than Kissamos so travel time to classes are not an issue. You can use the FB event page to post if you are looking for others to share a villa with you. You will need your own rental car for this option. Greece is a very popular summer destination so book soon!
Includes:
15 hours Training
7 Healthy Vegetarian meals per week (dinners at local tavernas are not covered)
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Check in to Villa Shakti is on the specified date
Orientation Meeting & Welcome Dinner at 7-9 PM on check in date is *required
Check out of Villa Shakti & Village Apartments on specified date.
Everyday classes start at 9am and end at 7pm (except days with trips planned)
Day Trips are included to beautiful beaches and local Greek tavernas
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Flight to Greece
Snacks and meals out at Tavernas or cafes (see your course schedule for details)
Your own personal rental car or taxis
Extra excursions, trips to town or private taxis
Food
We enjoy offering a healthy Vegetarian take on local Cretan recipes. Cretan and Greek cuisine is full of roasted vegetables, rices dishes, cucumber salads and of course, a decadent selection of homemade local cheeses! Occasionally we change up the menu by preparing mild Ayurvedic Indian food or Italian pasta, etc. All meals are served buffet style – all you can eat! Special dietary needs such as vegan, gluten free, and allergies can be catered to with prior notice.
*Our villa is strictly Vegetarian in celebration of life! Yet we can offer you local goat, sheep and cow cheese and a range of farm to table dairy products.
TYPICAL MENU:
Breakfast: Coffee/tea, fruit, toast and spreads, yogurt, granola, porridge, smoothie.
Lunch: Main dish, 2 salads, bakery breads, spreads, vegetable side dishes, local olive oil/olives, ice teas infusions.
Dinner: Main dish, salads, bakery breads, spreads, bean dish, vegetable side dishes, local olive oil / olives, and desert!
WEEKLY MEAL PLAN:
Check IN Day – Welcome dinner feast served at sunset on the veranda!
Daily Breakfast served for all participants staying onsite
Lunch and Dinners provided most days – some will be off-site
Off-site guests are provided 7 meals (welcome dinner, farewell brunch and 5 lunches)
Transportation
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Guests will want to arrive to the closest airport: Chania (CHQ). Airport it is a 1 hour drive to the villa. Heraklion is 3-4 hours drive. We will have an orientation dinner on the evening of Aug 30
Most visitors on Crete rent a car to enjoy exploring the wild nature and beaches. This is what we always recommend to guests since there are many secret beaches and isolated trails to discover on the Western side of the island within an hours drive.
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The cost of transportation is now included in your tuition. Villa Shakti is in a rural location, so please be aware buses are not an option and taxis will need to be booked in advance.
Scheduled Shuttle Transportation Includes:
(Times are fixed, no exceptions.)
ARRIVAL DAY:
Chania Port Pick up at 5 pm
Chania Airport Pick up at 5:30 pm
DEPARTURE DAY:
Chania Port Drop off at 12 pm
Chania Airport Drop off at 12:30 pm
TRANSPORT DURING IRINA’S DANCE RESIDENCY:
Daily nature trips: each day we will discover new beaches and landscapes
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Please meet our driver at the scheduled times, the driver can not wait for late passengers. If your flight arrives or departs at another time than the scheduled shuttle pick up/drop of times, you can easily get a local taxi to/from Airport to Chania Port to enjoy some time there and then meet at the scheduled time and location to catch your ride to Villa Shakti.
Please Note: No late arrivals allowed after 9 pm on check-in day.
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If you wish to have your own car, we recommend booking online. Prices are approximately €25-45 per day / per vehicle. Non EU licensed drivers will need and International Driving License to drive in Greece.
