R&D Movement Lab & Open Dance | West LA

R&D is a guided, DJ-led movement lab that unlocks the ability to move with more freedom and creativity. No choreography, no experience needed, no wrong way to move.

The first 45 minutes are a body-mind interval training experience. Periods of exertion and active recovery free up the body. Short stretches outside our comfort zone, followed by a return to home base, free up the mind.

The next 45 minutes use proven techniques to translate those skills into dance that feels accessible, on one of LA's best club-scale sound systems.

The skills and approaches we share make possible the things you may think you can't do. Past R&D participants have shared:

• "It's not as hard as I had imagined."
• "I kind of like the feeling of coming out of my shell."
• "There were no wrong movements, no wrong pace."
• "Especially as someone who has never taken a class, it's very welcoming and un-intimidating!"
  

Did you just flinch at the word "dance"?

You're not alone. Many of us want to move more freely, but most of us stop dancing as adults. Somewhere along the way, dance became something pressure-filled: something to perform, or something that took liquid courage to enjoy.

That's not what we mean. Here, dance isn't about what it looks like. It's about what it feels like. We intentionally don't have a mirror, don't ask you to learn steps, and wear fitness clothes & socks.

Self-consciousness is a state we work with compassionately. We don't ask you to pretend it's not there. We've been the people who've bolted from "dance" spaces because they felt like too much, so we learned from science & wisdom traditions alike what helps us stay.

That's what the intervals are for: short, guided rounds that ease you out of your comfort zone, then bring you back to home base. No cameras. No performance. Great music, open space, play, and permission.

This is for you if

• you've been in your head all week and want to get out of it
• you want a workout that actually feels fun
• you're getting back into moving and don't know where to start
• you wish you danced more than you do
• you used to dance and miss it
• choreography stresses you out
• you want a weekend plan with good people that isn't brunch or a bar

What one class does (we measured it)

• We leave in a better mood. 96% of participants did across our last two labs.
• We get more comfortable moving freely in front of others. In our last two labs, comfort rose from a 7 out of 10 to a 9 out of 10 in a single class.
• The shyest of us change the most. Our least comfortable movers jumped from a 3 to an 8 in one lab, and from a 5 to a 9 in another.
• We leave feeling alive. "I feel alive and vital" scored nearly 7 out of 7 after class.

How the morning flows

9:45 · Check-in opens.

10:00 · Class starts promptly. Why we do this, then breath and light stretches.

10:10 · Intervals. Rounds of exertion and active recovery, on your own and with others. Each one is a little longer and a little freer.

10:45 · Open "Dance". Less instruction and longer stretches of unguided time to experiment with your own movement. Follow what feels good from the inside out, and integrate whatever you picked up in the exercises. It all happens to dope sound and a DJ'd arc of tracks that builds along a cathartic, emotional journey.

11:30 · Land. A few quick questions about how it felt. Your answers shape what comes next.

12:00 · Optional lunch offsite.

Wear and bring: Comfortable clothes you can move in, water, and a pair of socks. We move barefoot, in socks, or in clean indoor shoes.

This is part 4 of a 5-part pilot series. Come help us shape it.

Questions? Email us at rdandpublic@gmail.com