Bay Area Rope Club (BARC)
A volunteer-run rope club active since 2016 that pairs open practice time with a skill-share or themed presentation at each gathering. Its newcomer nights give a long introduction to rope basics, and tickets are sold on a sliding scale.
The Bay Area Rope Club (BARC) is a rope group that has met since summer 2016. It describes itself as an open space for anyone interested in rope and welcomes people of all genders, body sizes, skill levels and orientations. Ticket income pays for venue rental, supplies and the hosts and volunteers who run the events.
Format. An evening usually opens with a skill-share or themed presentation and then becomes a rope jam: open time for tying, being tied or socializing, using the floor and the hard points, with music and light snacks. People can join either part or both and can come alone or with a partner. The organizers try to pair up people who arrive solo, but nobody is obliged to tie with anyone. Skill-shares vary in level. The November 2026 session, for example, covered a two- to three-rope floor version of a tengu harness, explicitly not taught for suspension, and recommended some foundational experience.
Venue and tickets. Gatherings take place at VoxBody Studio in Oakland, and the studio’s own house policies apply. Tickets are sold on a sliding scale ($10 to $20 for the November 2026 event), with refunds up to 48 hours before the event and full refunds for medical cancellations. First-time visitors are invited to contact the hosts or the club’s email before they come.
Community role. Twisted Windows’ guide to Bay Area rope groups lists BARC among the East Bay’s community rope organizations and describes its gatherings as a mix of skill-share, presentation and play time.