I attended the in person Getting Started class last night and it was great! The information was so useful and really gave me a good knowledge base of the things that need to be negotiated and the level of communication required for both the top and the bottom to have a positive experience. Thanks Renee and Dan!

The intro class was excellent; so much of it was info that’s transferable to lots of other areas of life as well. I felt my perspective expanding and I love when that happens! The instructors were knowledgeable and entertaining.

Awesome presentation! Made the experience comfortable and safe, ready to begin trying new things.

Dan and Renee are both so helpful and supportive for beginners. The emphasis on safety in the course means I feel much more prepared as a bottom to start venturing into the world of rope bondage having learned about things like negotiation, subspace and consent.

This course covers the most fundamental and essential components of rope – everything from safety to communication to technique – in a concise and well-structured format. Far superior to the “old-fashioned” way of bumbling through whatever hodge-podge of YouTube tutorials floating out there.

While this series is incredible for both partnered and single persons, some of the content is geared toward partners. If you’re coming into this alone (like I did!), do not fret! There is plenty of opportunity to find someone to practice with though events, community Slack, etc.

Dan found a way to make hybrid rope classes fun and educational! I really enjoyed these classes.

Attending the getting started course was a great experience it gave me the seriousness of safety and also the excitement to want to get started. Dan is a very good teacher who takes his work seriously while still maintaining a safe and fun learning environment. I attended the lab directly after and while nervous to look bad quickly was given very good direction and encouragement by the T.A.’s and Dan. By the end of the Lab I had learned 3 ties and was confident and excited for more. Not to mention the amazing intimate experience with my bottom that left me in a euphoria the rest of the day.

The most important class you can take will be the intro to rope course everybody takes when starting with ATUSD. It is the most comprehensive and direct course not just on how to safely start playing with rope but how to engage in the kink world, how to express and articulate your boundaries, and consent. I honestly believe just the consent section should be taught at every school, college etc.

This next section includes a story and how the ATUSD clases and experiences helped me.

I really appreciate how at the play parties at ATUSD they were sober events and the music wasn’t too loud. It has been burned into me that kink and play should only be done in a sober environment with sober participants and that was extremely helpful.

This past summer I checked out a swing club with a dungeon on the east coast and because I went and took classes at ATUSD, I felt much more comfortable with my boundaries and pushing back against people who tried to convince me to cross them. It was a drinking event, and I was not sober so when a few people asked if I wanted to engage in impact play I declined because of the rules I learned at ATUSD. I felt more confident expressing my boundaries because of the lessons and experiences I had at ATUSD. Honestly the swing club scene isn’t for me, consent rules were not nearly as strictly followed as they are at BDSM only spaces. If I didn’t have my experiences at ATUSD, I would not have been able to articulate and hold steady to my boundaries. I probably would’ve been like “yeah I’m up for anything” just to seem not difficult and go way past my boundaries and comfort level just to fit in. If you made it to the end of this long review I hope it helped and that you enjoy your rope kink and bdsm journey!

As someone new to the community and rope bondage this class was very informative. Safety being a priority not only in ties but choosing your rigger and vetting each other. highly recommend to ropesters new and experienced.

I have been to many different rope groups and educational events over the last 8 years. The ATU team is the best of the best. They work hard to create a safe and fun learning environment for all skill levels. I highly recommend getting involved whether you have a partner or not!