Here at Slushropes, we're always looking for new ideas and collaborations, but we love revisiting and expanding our existing partnerships. We recently connected with Siniša of Alpaca Flow to discuss our latest creation: the "Huacaya." It was an excellent opportunity to reflect on past projects and get excited about the future.
The Evolution of the Huacaya
Flowmies often talk about the 'Suri' – that OG Alpaca rope – and how special it was. Siniša shared with us what he loved about it: "My favorite thing about the Suri rope was its softness and that airy, draggy feel. In its final form," he says, "the Huacaya feels like a bigger sibling to the Suri, with the same soul and more presence."
We envisioned the 'Huacaya' as a bridge for flowmies ready to move from our standard-size ropes to something heavier. Siniša highlighted the key differences: "The biggest difference is the extra drag the Huacaya creates. The added weight gives you way more tactile feedback. You can really feel what the rope is doing. If your timing is off, you’ll feel it tugging at your hands and wrists, making mistakes much easier to notice and fix. The weight and drag naturally slow things down, giving you more time to feel what’s happening and adjust. It also forces you to be more efficient, guiding you toward using your whole body, which makes your movement more integrated and smooth over time, building better technique."
Design and Grip Transition
The design of the rope itself was also a key point of discussion. "The Huacaya features slim grips, a departure from the knotted grips some flowmies are used to," we observed.
Siniša explained, "Indeed, the handles have an underappreciated effect on how we move the rope and flow. I would advise flowmies to give it time and always maintain the ‘minimal viable grip’. Just firm enough to keep the rope from flying out of the hand, but not firmer than that. Practicing with different handles and grips (standard vs dagger) is useful for familiarizing yourself with controlling the rope in different configurations. The biggest adjustment will be necessary to patterns that involve releasing and catching the rope, because of the relative lightness of the slim grips. Typically, releasing the slim handle will need to happen with different timing (slightly delayed), compared to knotted grips."
A Collaborative Partnership
As our discussion moved on to the broader collaboration between Alpaca Flow and Slushropes, we asked Siniša, "How did this whole partnership come about?"
"I’ve had a lot of respect for Beyah, both as a practitioner and for her approach to the community, ever since I first picked up the rope," Siniša shared. "Some of my signature moves evolved from things I learned in her early tutorials in 2020. At the time, I was just admiring from a distance, but we started talking in 2022, about a year before our first collaboration rope came out. Then, in mid-2023, Beyah suggested we collaborate on a rope. An opportunity to work with Slushropes and have a flow rope perfectly suited for me was a no-brainer."
"And now the 'Huacaya' is the second installment in the Slushropes x Alpaca Flow designer series," we reflected. We then asked Siniša, "How has this collaborative relationship evolved?"
"At first, the collab was mostly about the original rope, Suri, but over time, it grew into more of a full brand partnership. More than that, the friendship behind it evolved, too. Slush has had my back since day one, and that support has meant a lot."
Siniša's pride was evident in his response when we asked, "How does it feel to have two signature ropes within the Slushropes lineup? What does this represent to you and the Alpaca Flow community?"
"It feels awesome," he replied. "My whole thing is about sharing my take on practice and coaching, and these ropes are a way to bring that into the physical world."
Siniša's Flow Journey and Philosophy
Shifting gears slightly, we asked Siniša to elaborate on his journey in the flow arts. "For those who might be new to Alpaca Flow, can you share a bit about your journey and what inspired you to create your unique flow style and brand?"
"The whole journey and even the creation of Alpaca Flow were pretty unplanned until recently. When I first picked up a rope, I had no idea I would end up coaching one day. Like many people, I got into rope flow during the pandemic. The first video I saw lit me up. I was dealing with a low back injury from martial arts at the time, and rope flow helped me feel physically capable again. Once my back started healing, I was completely hooked. My style developed slowly by going deep into whatever parts of the practice really spoke to me. I definitely learned from others early on, but I was mostly driven by internal curiosity and followed what felt exciting. The community was smaller back then, the skill pool was shallower, and there were fewer trends to distract us. We were just focused on getting better."
The conversation then turned to the concept of progressive overload, a term mentioned in the Huacaya description. "Could you discuss its importance in rope flow training, and how the Huacaya plays a role in that?"
"Progressive overload...in rope flow... isn’t just about building strength, though your grip and endurance will definitely benefit. The real value is in refining our technique as we gradually increase the weight of the practice ropes. Heavier ropes give more feedback, making spotting inefficiencies and improving flow easier. They also demand more from your whole body. There’s a safety aspect too. Gradually increasing rope weight gives your tissues time to adapt, which helps prevent overuse injuries. It’s a smart way to deepen your practice while staying resilient."
"So, how do you incorporate the Huacaya into your own practice?" we inquired.
"I like alternating between standard and heavier ropes in my practice session," Siniša shared. "Huacaya usually helps me to iron out a pattern or transition I’m working on, and then I go back to lighter ropes to explore and play with it. Lately, I’ve been using Huacaya with higher intensity flow, too. It’s heavy enough to make me work harder, but doesn’t really limit the possibilities in flow."
"You have such a refined approach to flow. What key principles or philosophies guide your practice and coaching?" we asked, always eager to learn from Siniša’s insights.
"Advanced practice looks just like beginner practice. The difference is in the depth," Siniša explained. "I’m still working on the same patterns; I'm just paying more attention to the details and refining them with each session. For the past two and a half years, my main strategy has been to build simple, high-yield drills and sequences. I use them to sharpen the technical side of my flow. It has sped up my progress and freed up more time for exploration, because it feels like getting multiple patterns for the price of one. It’s the same approach I bring into coaching."
Advice for Beginners
For those just starting their rope flow journey, we asked Siniša for his words of wisdom. "What advice would you give someone just starting their rope flow journey?"
Siniša offered a wealth of valuable advice.
- Be patient, consistent, and intentional with your practice. Progress takes time; enjoy the process. Celebrate small victories, and don’t get caught up in comparing yourself to others.
- Use the community. Lean on others for support and feedback—it’s one of the most valuable resources in rope flow. What you think you’re doing and what you're actually doing are rarely the same. Record yourself often and get a second opinion to refine your technique.
- Master the fundamentals; skipping steps and adding complexity too early will only reinforce bad habits.
- And finally, footwork is rope flow, and rope flow is footwork. Start incorporating footwork from your very first session—it’s essential, not optional."
The Future of Alpaca Flow
As our interview drew to a close, we couldn't resist asking about the future. "What's next for Alpaca Flow? Can you share any exciting projects or developments on the horizon?"
"Yes! The biggest thing coming up is a collaboration with Elias Brocker—we’re building a new platform called the RopeFlow MasterMind Community," Siniša shared. "It’s something we’ve been dreaming about for a while now. We wanted something that actually supports long-term growth and real connection. So we’re building a platform that supports all levels, from total beginners to seasoned flowmies. It’ll include structured learning, exploration themes, community challenges, live classes, coaching, and a pathway for coaches wanting to go deeper. Basically, we’re taking the kind of one-on-one coaching we already do and turning it into something everyone can access and grow with. We have recently completed recording the foundational education materials and are deep in the editing phase of the project. Stay tuned because we plan to launch soon and need all the support we can get!"
As our conversation wrapped up, we felt renewed excitement for the "Huacaya" and the future of the rope flow community. Collaborations like these, driven by a shared passion for the flow arts, truly push the boundaries and bring something special to flowmies everywhere. We want to thank everyone who has supported this project so far, and we look forward to continuing this fruitful partnership with Alpaca Flow.
Portions of the text in this post, framing the direct quotes from Siniša/AlpacaFlow, were drafted with the assistance of Google's Gemini and subsequently edited by the author. All quotes are attributed to their original speaker/source.