The Mojo Technique — Local services in Union City

I was so excited to find out that a new Aerial studio opened in the East Bay. I’ve had about 5 years of experience at other cities and countries, but was looking forward to check out this studio in my hometown.

I had signed up for the Aerial Yoga class for Sunday morning in July 2022 with a friend that I was introducing the hobby to. The website is a mess and the booking system didn’t allow you to schedule for classes very far out.

We were told to bring a yoga mat, but upon arrival, we never actually used the mats because they had carpet laid out underneath the hammocks. Never in my 5 years have I seen any studio put carpet underneath the hammocks, but I’m guessing the instructor did that due to the number of first timers in the class. The studio was clearly a warehouse and they didn’t do very much to hide that fact. It felt like they did the bare minimum to get hammocks and cubbies set up, but the rest of the aesthetics was definitely still a work in progress. There’s a dog that hangs around at the entrance of the studio. It didn’t really bother me, but it definitely caught me by surprise.

The class had a lot of first time aerialists and the instructor/owner has quite an interesting and unique personality. Unfortunately, as an experienced aerialist, I did not think the instructor did a very good job of guiding the newbies through the movements both verbally and visually. The class size we had was clearly too much to manage for him, and I saw many red flags occur during the class.

When we moved into inverts, I watched the instructor put students into high fall-risk positions that would have been highly discouraged at other studios. When inverting, you need to ensure that the belt is on or above the hips, and that the knees are on the outside of the poles. Some students mistook the knee position to be placed between the poles, which put them in a position where they could easily fall out of the hammock. When the instructor passed by, he did not correct the pose, but instead fortified the wrong position that they had. I watched him “teach” my friend this wrong position and as predicted, my friend fell out of the hammock.

After demonstrating, the instructor would go around to each individual to check and make sure they were doing the right movements. However, there were a few individuals in the class who were struggling and needed a little bit more help and care to bring them back up to speed with the class. The instructor, unfortunately, did not give them that time and care. I felt bad for them, as they did not participate for almost half the class because of the lack of attention from the instructor. Instead, the instructor would move on with the rest of the class while those individuals stood around.

As an experienced aerialist, I was able to keep up with the class, but it was not a challenge for me. No variations were provided to make moves easier or harder for the potential different levels in the class. When I naturally moved to harder variations while I was waiting for him to move to the next step, I got scolded for not following along with the class.

I think this studio has potential, and it’s probably better for aerialists that already have some form of experience in the industry. The Aerial Yoga class is more spiritual than fitness and I would rate it at a level 0-1 aerial class. Definitely don’t take it if you’re already experienced, because it’ll be a waste of your money and you’d be bored. Aerial silk/hammock studios are hard to find in the bay and it’s a sport that I love so much. I don’t want to discourage anyone from trying out the sport, but this studio definitely has a lot of learning to do.

I travel often and I switch between pole and aerial, so I don’t see myself coming back to this studio very often. I would be interested in trying a class from the other instructor and seeing her...

Every session at the Mojo feels like a guided mediation to return to self and increase our focus through movements and breaths. Rodney’s deep knowledge in rhythm and body awareness not only enrich every class beautifully with his unique flows, but also allow him to tailor the poses to the participants’ individual ability, but with a little twist to challenge our comfort. With every cue, he brings us back to the present, to remind us to be grateful for the bodies we move in, to listen inward, and to respect our pace amidst a world that constantly tells us to rush. With intuition, patience, and calm energy, he invites us to explore both the physical boundaries of our strength and the invisible barriers of fear and self-doubt. This studio is a rare kind of place: one where both body and soul are challenged, and celebrated. A place to fly, but also to land-safely...

Such a lovely studio!!

I came for a level one pole and dance class taught by the owner Rodney. The studio itself is decorated with love and is very clean. Rodney is an amazing teacher. He is a passionate, veteran instructor who will also keep you safe. I enjoyed his cues such as smiling, or reminders to slow down and really feel engagement of my body to do certain tricks.

I hope to go again! Maybe even check out the aerial yoga class. :) I have been recommending his studio specifically to my friends who are into burlesque, but I also know he'd make any novice feel both comfortable and rewarded with just the right amount of...