BANDALOOP STUDIOS

WELCOME TO BANDALOOP STUDIOS

BANDALOOP is proud to call West Oakland home, where our new 8,000 sq ft space serves our dancers, students and community. Here we incubate work, and offer year-round vertical dance workshops for learners of all ages, genders and movement backgrounds. We collaborate with local organizations, schools, and major corporations to expand our impact through innovative offerings including team-building experiences.

BANDALOOP creates access to our workshops for economically diverse communities, with work-study positions and scholarships granted throughout the year. While our art form requires the use of technical climbing equipment, adaptations are available for those with specific access needs.

FLY WITH BANDALOOP!

 

YOUTH VERTICAL DANCE

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this week @ bandaloop ↓

ADULT VERTICAL DANCE CLASSES & EVENTS

 

The Call IN:
Community Conversations of What Matters to Us

2/16, 3/29, 4/20, 5/18, & 6/8
Weekend Gatherings 3-5pm

Monthly conversation series curated by amara tabor-smith to share wisdom, build connection, and strengthen communities.

FREE

The Call IN is support by The Zellerbach Family Foundation

 

CLASSES, COURSES, WORSHOPS

Fly And Flow Monday Nights
Bandalooping 8 Week Series

Grown Ups Ages 16+

All Levels (beginners welcome!)
Mondays 6:30-8:30pm
$500

Session 2: March 3-April 21, 2025

A weekly ascent into BANDALOOP’s signature style of vertical dance training! A thorough grounding in our Culture of Safety and gear training opens the way for adventurous dancing on walls, in free air space and our trampoline wall. In this all levels class, we will practice harness movement fundamentals, running on the wall, flipping, partnering, set choreography and improvisational explorations. In addition to strength, flexibility and heightened awareness of one’s surroundings, BANDALOOP workshops embrace the unique artistic voice of each participant. This series culminates in an informal showing. All gear will be supplied. No experience necessary.

 

WEEKLY CLASS!
Vertical Dance Technique with Roel Seeber

Starting January 8th, 2025

Wednesdays 6:00-7:30pm 
$35/class
5:30-6:00pm **New Student Safety Training 

This weekly drop-in vertical dance technique class activates the rope and harness dance form to train grace, strength, flexibility and musicality. Dancers will enjoy expanded movement possibilities in a supportive community atmosphere. After a thorough warm up on the ground and in the air the class progresses into choreographic phrases and improvisational scores. Take your vertical dance to the next level in this weekly class!

**Previous BANDALOOPing experience is recommended. New students are welcome, but must attend the 5:30-6:00 pm safety training once. 

photo by Basil Tsimoyanis

 

Low Fly TEchnique Weekly Class

With Roel Seeber

Starting January 7th, 2025

Tuesdays 7:30-9:00
$35/class

Low Fly Vertical Dance utilizes rope and harness technology to empower the dancer, dancing on a horizontal surface, with the power and freedom of flight. The dancer engages the floor while being supported by a rope rigged from above. This class will start form the ground, releasing the weight down to find support, where down eventually becomes up and the joy and freedom of flight. Participants will work in solo as well as in partnership and groups. Students bring to this class their own dance and movement background, to be combined with technique and skills taught through phrase material and improvisation. Students are encouraged to develop their own personal style, while engaging in a fun, supportive atmosphere where safety comes first. 

photo by Jessica Swanson

 

the get down

terrestrial improvisation with Maurya Kerr

Last Sunday of the Month | 12-1:30pm

Pre-registration and drop-ins welcome. Class is free for BIPOC and trans folks.

$10 or free for BIPOC & trans folk who need the assistance
(use code DANCEFREE to register)

Age 18+

REGISTER by clicking a date below:

January 26 April 27
February 23 May 25
March 30 June 29

the get down is embodied generosity & imaginative rigor.
the get down is joy & sorrow, clamorous & soft.
the get down will be what you need it to be.
the get down is sunday morning church. 
the get down is self-care & other-care.
the get down is sweaty catharsis.
the get down can get messy.  
the get down is personal. 
the get down is political.
the get down gets down.

graphic by Cleo Ledet

 

FREE TO FLY - 2025 Dates TBD Stay tuned!

Free!*


Get a free flight test with BANDALOOP and experience vertical joy! Float in the air, jump into space, explore surfaces and play with verticality in a new way. See what’s possible when we turn the dance floor on its side and change our perspective. Our kind and experienced teachers will guide you through a safe and exploratory time as you experience a taste of vertical dance. No experience necessary, all gear provided.

*Starting in 2024, a $15 deposit will be charged to hold your spot. Deposits will be refunded 3-5 business days after attendance. Cancellations must be made by 4pm the Friday before Free to Fly to be refunded. Refunds will not be issued for day-of cancellations and no-shows. If this presents financial difficulty for you, or if you’d like to donate your deposit amount, please contact workshop@bandaloop.org.

** we kindly request that students only enroll in one Free to Fly session a year so we can welcome as many people as possible into these opportunities.

Free to Fly is funded by Radium Presents and Rubicon Point Partners.

photo by Winter Ramos

 

Artistic Research - temporarily PAUSEd

Drop in $20/class.
5-class ($18/class) or 10-class ($16/class) packages now available! Valid for 4 months.

Age 16+

Drop-in with pre-requisites

  • Any BANDALOOP workshop in the past year (not free to fly)

  • OR company member

  • OR training group

This is a loosely facilitated session that will focus on creative research, play, and exploration. It is a time for you to be in parallel practice with the dancers around you, working solo or in collaboration. We will begin and close with a circle and check in once during this session to share questions, thoughts and updates. Artistic Research sessions can be a time to joyfully play, incubate new ideas, continue to explore and expand the form of vertical dance and more. Come with an open-mind and a commitment to staying curious and being part of a caring community of practice. A BANDALOOP staff member will be onsite to offer supervision, safety checks and support. All gear will be supplied. 

To participate in Artistic Research you must have taken a BANDALOOP workshop in the past year (excluding Free to Fly) and be able to confidently acknowledge and actively engage in BANDALOOP’s Culture of Safety. If you are a practicing harness based vertical dancer, a safety lesson and evaluation can be arranged in advance for an additional fee to bypass the prerequisite. 

photo by Amelia Rudolph

 

2025 Studio Holidays

Mon 2/17 - President’s Day
Mon 5/26 - Memorial Day
Thu 6/19 - Juneteenth
Fri 7/4 - Independence Day
Mon 9/1 - Labor Day
Mon 10/13 - Indigenous People’s Day
Wed-Fri 11/26 - 11/28 - Thanksgiving Week
Mon-Thu 12/22/2025 - 1/1/2026 - Winter Holidays


photo by Krystal Harfert

PRIVATE LESSONS

In Studio Training: 

Individual private rates are $150 per hour with a two hour minimum. We recommend 2-3 hours for a private lesson. Discounts and package deals can be made for small group privates and multiple individual privates. Email workshop@bandaloop.org for more information, scheduling and pricing. 

A prerequisite for big wall training.

BIG WALL TRAINING:

For advanced dancers who have previous BANDALOOP dance experience through workshops or classes, we offer outdoor big wall training in Oakland. In studio privates are a prerequisite for big wall training. Training programs will be developed on a case by case basis depending on the dancer’s experience level, safety, and comfort. Email workshop@bandaloop.org for more information and pricing.

BANDALOOP’s rigging for vertical dance and aerial work is done by qualified professionals. Our rigging team consists of certified mountain guides, professional rock climbers, theatrical riggers, and rope access technicians. This diverse set of vertically inclined professionals work closely with our logisticians and risk management team in keeping our dancers safe as they perform on buildings, bridges, and cliffs globally. BANDALOOP does not condone any student rigging or participating in aerial or vertical dance outside the classroom without the supervision of qualified professionals. You and others can be injured or killed. If you are interested in hiring a professional rigger, contact workshop@bandaloop.org.


FINANCIAL AID


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Donations help us offer scholarships and make BANDALOOP education accessible!

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