One example method involves a processing device that performs operations that include receiving a request to retarget a source motion into a target object. Operations further include providing the target object to a contact-aware motion retargeting neural network trained to retarget the source motion into the target object. The contact-aware motion retargeting neural network is trained by accessing training data that includes a source object performing the source motion. The contact-aware motion retargeting neural network generates retargeted motion for the target object, based on a self-contact having a pair of input vertices. The retargeted motion is subject to motion constraints that: (i) preserve a relative location of the self-contact and (ii) prevent self-penetration of the target object.