ASCENT: Introduction to Suspension

Ready to take your rope bondage off the ground and into the air?

ASCENT is the series for you if:

• you have attended our PROGRESSIONS series, or a comparable '201-level' series and are ready for more!
• you feel ready to learn and prepare for your first suspension with a careful, paced curriculum.

The intention of our ASCENT series is to prepare both the person tying and being tied for their first suspension. This series is technique-focused. Students will learn body harnesses to be used in suspension (upper and lower body), skills and considerations for bottoming in rope suspension, how to create and lock-off uplines, culminating in a first suspension at the end of the series!

These classes take place every second Thursday and run in cycles of 5, with an optional additional class in February. (see below). 

Classes are progressive, it is necessary to take the series in order and in its entirety.

This ticket link is for the FINAL THREE CLASSES OF THE SERIES. Students MUST FIRST ATTEND either the Box Tie series OR the February 12 Hands Front Harness class in order to attend the MAR/APR/MAY classes.

CLASS START TIME IS 7:15. DOORS OPEN AT 7PM FOR CHECK-IN. PLEASE TRY AND ARRIVE ON TIME, WE HAVE SO MUCH TO SHARE WITH YOU AND WE LIKE TO START CLASS ON TIME!

2024 SCHEDULE (JAN-MAY)

JAN 11: Box Tie series. Introduction to the Boxtie (basic structure). The box tie is a hands-bound behind the back chest harness. If you'd like to attend this series but do not want to tie with hands bound behind the back, see our FEB 12 class for the Ceci Ferox Hands-Front Chest Harness!

FEB 8: Finishing rope for BoxTie

FEBRUARY 12 : Ceci Ferox Hands-Front Harness. Students can opt for this class OR the 2 boxtie classes; all students need to learn one of these chest harnesses in order to attend the final 3 classes of the series.

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MARCH 14: Gunslinger hip tie, chest harness review, dedicated bottoming for suspension content and introduction to creating upline hangers for suspension (first half of the class will have all students learning together; second half of class will be split into two groups for focused content for those tying and those being tied)

APRIL 11: Side Suspension. This is the day we take it in the air! All students (both tying AND being tied) need to have attended earlier classes in this series in order, and be able to show proficiency in their chest harness and upline hangers, in order to participate in this class.

MAY 9 : Suspension, decompression and review. We will revisit the side suspension with a few added techniques and skills, and then discuss what's next for your rope journey! 

These classes are designed for partnered learning, and cover content for both the person tying and being tied. We expect that attending partners have previous tying experience together.

Solid ‘201’ level rope knowledge is required for these classes- for both the person tying AND being tied. The risks and techniques in suspension are complex; we want to be sure all students are working from a similar base of knowledge for the safest experience possible. These classes are not intended for a rigger to attend with a bottom who is totally new to rope.

Learn more about our CORE CURRICULUM here. You should attend this series after attending the PROGRESSIONS series and in order to graduate into the ONWARD series.

*Come dressed to move. Jeans are not recommended. Comfy, snug-fitting clothing is best (loose drapey clothes can be difficult to work around). Avoid underwire bras, buttons, and anything that may feel irritating underneath the rope.

*Most of the ties and patterns in these classes are shown standing. We also have chairs and cushions, and our floors are covered with mats. If there is something else you need to make the physical part of class accessible for you, please email us and let us know how we can help make that happen.

*We do have loaner rope for attendees to use during class, although we recommend that you have your own rope kit by now. These classes will require 3-6 lengths of rope to get started and a full kit, including suspension gear, by the end of the series. We will walk you through what a rope kit includes in the first classes of the series. Teachers will be demonstrating ties with jute at 8m length, 6mm diameter. These are approximate recommendations, and will vary according to the body being tied and the rigger’s comfort in handling a certain length of rope at one time. More info about rope choices and lengths can be found on our FAQ page.

If finances are a barrier for you attending our Core Curriculum classes, VoxBody offers a scholarship spot at each series level. Email voxbody@gmail.com and let us know which class(es) you are looking to attend. Please be specific in your message with class name and date.

* Please note: the scholarship spot for ASCENT classes are only available to someone who can commit to all dates in the series, and has the appropriate experience level. Be sure to read through the Ascent event link and assure this will work for you before emailing. *

*Please read and remain familiar with our studio policies and etiquette page. If you have any questions or concerns please email us at voxbody@gmail.com

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GETTING HERE

REFUND POLICY

About the teachers:

Blue (she/her): Blue has been teaching and performing rope bondage since 2012. In June 2017, she opened VoxBody Studio, the Bay Area's first rope-dedicated venue. Blue is part of an active rope community in the Bay Area, teaching classes and hosting events regularly and performing at events such as Folsom Street Fair, Twisted Windows and Vau de Vire Society productions. She has also presented at RopeCraft, Bondage Expo Dallas, Desert Bound and Karada House’s QueerRope event. Blue is an enthusiastic sWitch, believes bondage education should address both sides of the rope, and is so proud of the Vox-community. Find her on IG @miss_true_blue.

Ivy (she/they): Ivy Limieux is a sWitchy Sadistic VoxFox, joining the rope community in 2016. She has a passion for volunteer work and fetish parties, and loves the incredibly supportive network of kinksters, artists, and fetishists that rope has allowed her to connect with. She believes that rope is as fluid and adaptable as the people who choose to participate, and that every desire to learn should be met with the opportunity to do so. She has taught/performed for organizations such as Dark Odyssey, Obsidian_LA, Black Rose Education, Kinky Activist Support Fund, and Kink.com. Ivy is the host of Kinky, Colorful, Conscious, a kinky POC roundtable founded in 2018. She co-host’s Oakland’s bi-monthly POC play party, SOUL as well as other POC events in the Bay Area. Find her on IG and FL @ivylimieux.

Moxie (she/her): Moxie has been rope bottoming since 2015, and started tying a few years into her rope journey. She’s passionate about restraint, aesthetics, body awareness, and rope that makes her feel distressed. She enjoys exploring ties that can be challenging and awkward, as well as repeating familiar shapes in ties that bring new knowledge and experience over time. Moxie has performed at events such as Twisted Windows, Folsom Street Fair, and Nuit des Cordes, attended NARIX 2016, and has bottomed for Kazami Ranki. She practices aerial and flexibility outside of rope to stay connected with her body and gain understanding of how our bodies communicate to us. Find her on IG and FL @boundmoxie.