2026 Workshops
For 17 incredible years, ABSFest has been a hub of artistry, spectacle, and education—and this year is no exception!
We’re thrilled to offer a dynamic lineup of Burlesque, Circus, and Business Workshops, open to all levels and designed to ignite your creativity, sharpen your skills, and elevate your craft.
Join us at The Orange Peel for hands-on classes taught by top-tier instructors, plus a FREE lecture!
Education is at the heart of ABSFest, and we’re making it accessible with unbeatable pricing—
just $40 in advance, $45 at the door, or $70 for two sessions.
Don’t miss this chance to learn, grow, and connect with us!
saturday
june 6, 2026The Orange Peel
101 Biltmore Ave,
Asheville, NC 28801
Save $10 by signing up for two workshops!
Stage
12:30pm-2:00pm
whip tricks & techniques
with Paolo GarbanzoInternational circus skills performer and teacher Paolo Garbanzo takes you on a journey, from fundamental whip safety to dynamic techniques for stage. Moving from the basics to more advanced whipcracks, this class progresses at the pace of the students. Some whips will be available for loan and sale.
Whip is LOUD.
About Paolo - Paolo travels the US, UK and Europe performing his juggling, comedy and fire show in three languages. He taught circus arts at the School in Turin, Italy, and leads cultural and D&D tours in both England
and New Orleans.
Stage
2:00pm-3:30pm
belly burly fusion fun!
with Natasha RiotCome sass it up in this super fun bellydance/burlesque fusion workshop!
Designed for all levels of movers and shakers, we will be movin’ and shakin’ with absolutely zero judgement, so wear what makes you feel comfortable and unrestricted, and bring plenty of water, a notebook, and a towel if needed!
We’ll do a burlesque movement informed fitness warmup - which may or may not harken to the glory days of 80’s and 90’s workout videos (now with better movement mechanics!). Natasha will guide you through movements that are similar in both dance forms, and some brief history as to the possible why. While we learn a short piece of choreography, we’ll also go over what may or may not be appropriate in certain settings, so that fun can be had by all while revering the history and cultures of the dance. We’ll discuss similarities in costuming as well!
You will leave this workshop with a lil bit of history, a lil choreo that you can use, and a whole lot of SASS!
About Natasha - Our glam metal Headliner from Portland! She is a globetrotting, award-winning, event producing powerhouse with decades of experience in bellydance, fitness and burlesque. Natasha has taught and performed at festivals and stages all across the US and is a class favorite with her students.
Community Room
2:00pm-3:30pm
tarot for fun & profit
with Madame OnçaAlready know something about tarot and want to read for others? Want to read cards at festivals, parties, and corporate events? There are important legal and ethical considerations to understand before you take your personal passion public. Let’s dive deep into the do’s-and-don’ts of cartomancy for money. We will touch on the history of fortunetelling and also explore spreads for various types of gigs, best practices for tough situations, and have an AMA about the cards in general.
About Onca - Onca O’Leary aka Madame Onca is a published tarot artist, author and teacher with decades of experience reading cards both for fun and profit. She is the artist and co-author of the critically acclaimed World Spirit Tarot as well as the Yuletide Monsters Oracle, as well as a dancer, singer, NC, international tour guide and event producer.
Community Room
12:30pm-2:00pm
free wellness lecture!
practical tools to calm the body & clear the mind
with NadiraWhat happens when stress, emotion, and the nervous system collide?
This engaging talk explores how modern neuroscience explains something many people feel but struggle to name: how life experiences — especially stress and emotional overwhelm — shape the body, influence the brain, and affect our sense of well-being.
Walk away with practical techniques you can use immediately to calm your nervous system, release tension, and restore a sense of balance and clarity.
Long before neuroscience mapped stress responses or trauma patterns, Edgar Cayce - known as the “Sleeping Prophet” - spoke about the deep connection between physical health, emotional balance, and the inner life. Today, discoveries in neuroscience and psychology reveal striking parallels, positioning Cayce as a fascinating Western bridge between older wisdom traditions and modern science.
In this eye-opening session, you’ll learn:
How the nervous system responds to stress and emotional experiences • Why anxiety, tension, or shutdown can persist • How stress patterns become stored in the body • The science behind somatic awareness and regulation • Simple techniques to calm the body and clear the mind
Blending insights from neuroscience, psychology, and body-based practices, this talk offers a grounded, science-informed perspective on stress, resilience, and self-regulation - delivered in a way that’s clear, relatable, and immediately useful. Perfect for the curious, the creatively minded, the overwhelmed, and anyone ready for both insight and practical tools.
About Nadira - Nadira doesn’t follow straight lines… she follows curiosity.
For over two decades, she has created spaces where artistry, embodiment, and community collide. A research enthusiast with a degree in History, Nadira has a long-standing fascination with how humans make meaning - through the body, the brain, and lived experience. Her academic background fuels her passion for exploring how emerging insights from neuroscience, psychology, and somatic studies can be translated into practical, accessible tools for everyday life.
Today, she works in Community Outreach at the Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.), bridging science, embodiment, and human experience in ways that are both thought-provoking and immediately useful.
