Hipline

I found this place about two weeks ago on the suggestion of a friend. Mind you, i haven’t been a dancer since I was a kid, although I have been very active with yoga over the past two decades. Coming into it from this perspective the dancing (shimmy pop) and toning (power pop) are fun and intense, but not over the top. Hipline and its classes have brought sweaty joy into my mornings the way very few other things (well, okay the way ONE other thing!) can. Movement can be ecstatic, blissful, hella intense, emotional, and awakening of the divine shakti (sacred feminine) within — and these are parts of what I am finding at hipline. Also, that bringing back a tiny dose of aerobics and 80’s never hurts either… although this is firmly a DANCE studio, there are also moments where you will find yourself briefly getting hints and whisps of 80’s «you go girl» aerobics culture. In the best possible way. And there are rare moments of looking at the choreographer (mostly professional dancers) bust her move and thinking… you want me to do WHAT??? until you do it too and are… exhilarated. In a sweaty, quivering heap. Love it. As a ps. the POWER pop is strength training at its finest– I’ve done a lot of yoga and used to lift, and I find that there’s a certain healing of my bones, joints, and alignment that occur after the power pop classes, and they are much more balanced than the traditional gym/​weight routine (and simply very very different from yoga).

Nightmare. Not for new students.
I hate writing negative reviews, especially about small places in my neighborhood, but I am having PTSD after my experience. I am especially conflicted, because a friend highly recommended Hipline to me.
Over an hour before the class, I tried to create an online account and sign up for childcare. No matter how scrupulously I followed the online instructions (adding my kid as a family member, etc) the online system kept telling me that I had not satisfied the «prerequisites» for childcare. I copied and pasted the prerequisite notes into a separate window, so that I could follow them to the letter. No dice. Maybe my kid needed to take algebra?
So after spending around 30 mins trying to figure out their sign up system, I call. Old school, I know. The person on the phone assures me that it will be no problem for the 10am class and childcare if I just show up a little early and take care of everything in person. There is plenty of room, she assures me.
So I take the time to get my kid ready and to change and coax kid into the car. I circle the TJ parking lot. I go up around 15 minutes before the class. I am filling out the paperwork, and the front desk person tells me that, oh, actually the class is completely full. But two people may not show up. Given the time and energy I’ve already put in, I wait. They had me stand around and gave me a «tour.» Then they tell me I can join the class.
But wait, I need to fill out yet more paperwork for the tiny childcare «room» before I can go in. And the childcare person is dealing with an unhappy child who is screaming nonstop, and it takes time to even get the paperwork. My kid is not excited to be stuck in the small room with the screaming child and stranger.
So I have to go into the class late. I wait outside the closed door, as instructed by a sign outside the door. Then I go in. The room is like spandex-​clad sardines in a can. There is a tiny space by the door. I am standing there uncertainly and a person nearby screams at me over the loud music «THAT IS NOT A SPOT! THAT! IS! NOT! A SPOT!» So I look around, and a person waves me to the very back of the room. I go to the back of the room, and the person next to the waving person yells at me that I can’t stand there. There is no place for me, and people are yelling at me in between swinging their arms. So I end up running out of the room trying to dodge elbows.
And when I get home after wasting *hours* of my morning on this nonsense, I check my email. I now have multiple emoji subject line emails for the hipline «reservation system.» Looks like I am signed up for their email list. They also emailed me the receipt for my first class. Let me review my «horrible experience» checklist: yep, check, check, check, check, check.

Girl power!
Hipline empowers women by creating a space where young or old, in shape or not, to move freely, feel good and get down. I’m into it. They seem to offer mainly two classes: power pop and shimmy. Power involves weights, while shimmy doesn’t. Both classes are focused around a dance routine. The instructors are all high energy, and as with all gyms — I connect more with some than others.
Although, I come to Hipline more to feel good, get my energy up as part of Classpass, I don’t necessarily get the best workout, or should I say get the workout I’m looking for. Although, I do have to admit, after this past Power Pop, my quads were feelin’ it.
Pro-​tip: You will most likely look like a jack ass, unless you happen to be Bey or have a ton of dance lessons under your belt. It’s ok. Honestly, everyone looks like a jack ass, it’s all good. Don’t take yourself too seriously and have fun with it; let loose, girl!
They recently started after class smoothie service for $ 8. Pro-​tip: unless you like really small smoothies, I would forgo. Definitely didn’t feel that I got my money’s worth on that one, although it was tasty.
Hipline is all about creating a community and I’m pumped to be part of it, at least three times a month. I tend to leave class with a huge smile on my face, and with some feelings of world domination… definitely a win for me!

Hipline is special. It’s fun, it’s empowering, it’s got a sense of humor. It’s a place where you can revel in your femininity and shape and as they say, it’s a place to belong.
It’s not about getting in a «hard workout» or worrying about your heart rate or calorie burn. It’s a place to let it all out on the dance floor.
That dance floor is one of the most diverse places I’ve ever encountered. All of the classes I’ve attended have women of different races and sizes — it is also one of the few high-​end studios (and I’ve tried many) that is truly body-​positive and does not promote dieting or «bikini body challenges.»
In short, this is one the most amazing places in the bay area. If you’re a woman and you like to dance, go. now.

There are SOME classes here that are a good zumba type workout. Many are a way too gentle workout, in my opinion. You have to take all the classes to find the good teachers. For the price it should be much better than ‘zumba at the Y’. It seems that some teachers get worried when the heart rates go up… they’ll suddenly do a slow dance in the middle to calm it all down.
Also, most teachers do the same dances week after week so it can get very boring if you come often.
The ‘power pop’ toning tends to be VERY gentle. Not enough weight or reps to do much. But good music, and some teachers are better than others.
The evening classes and weekends are VERY crowded. Many times you simply cannot do the moves as the teacher is showing them. You are forced to modify so you don’t bump someone.
The room is very hot and stuffy so you sweat a lot… even in classes where you hardly move.
The owners are nice when you’re new. They seem to take themselves very seriously as dancers and choreographers. But if you ignore all that and just go to dance, it’s fun.
The cancellation policy is terrible.
The dance studio is nice and the lighting is nice at night. Great stereo turned up to ear damaging volume. Many women wear earplugs!!! As a dancer, ear plugs affect balance, so that seems really dumb to me. If they just turned it down the tiniest bit it would be better for everyone.

I’ve been dancing, sweating, exercising with hipline for over 5 years… and I look forward to attending classes everyday as if it was my first time. I love the variety of music with each teacher providing their own signature moves; most importantly, the female-​power-​positive reinforcement community hipline has created for students, staff, and guests. Teachers are diverse in thought, movement, knowledge and experience! Is always a pleasure to learn a new move, sweat without thinking what I’m doing, and catching myself in the mirror once in a while doing an unexpected new move… Love it! Thank you for being in Oakland and in my life.

2015 was a crazy year for me. Moved to Oakland from Chicago, had several people close to me pass away, and I lost touch with how important my health is. Hipline has helped me reconnect with my body in a way that no other form of exercise has been able to recently.
Thank you mamas!

I’ve been coming here for the past few weeks after a STELLAR first class with Iris (high-​energy, tons of booty popping). I bought the $ 25 unlimited class pass for newcomers, which has been an absolute steal and has allowed me to try out other instructors. I tried out Laila’s class on Monday night too, and I had the best time! I have zero coordination, but always have a good time and work up a good sweat. You’ll see women of all shapes, sizes, and ages here which is the best part!
Parking is super easy + Trader Joes is right there so you can grab a quick bite post sweat-​sesh.
Only thing I’m having trouble with is the cost. It’s pretty pricey, but I totally get that they have to support their teachers and maintain their awesome location.
I guess I’ll just have to budget myself better so I can keep coming back!

I am usually a die-​hard Yogi, but Hipline is my new happy place. I love their music and choreographers, especially Heather (who offers to sprinkle you with glitter before her class!) and Iris, who plays some of her own music during the class! Everyone is friendly and welcoming and their décor is super cute. I do wish they sold a 10-​Class card… 20 is a bit too expensive but 5 isn’t enough. And props to them for childcare — my friend came to town with her daughter and we used it while we took class!

While I still *love* hipline for the following:
— women-​owned (sisters! yeah!)
— women-​centric
— affordable (if you buy their passes)
— SUPER-​AMAZINGLY-​FUN
— gives back to the community
it is hard to get over the fact that the classes seem to be getting more and more crowded. Just as another reviewer posted, there are just TOO MANY people in the class. If they decreased the max class size by even 10 participants, it would be a lot more enjoyable. It is difficult to get a decent workout when you simply can’t move due to lack of space. You can’t fully get into the dance moves when you’re worried about punching or kicking your neighbor (or getting thwapped by one.) Very few of the instructors help with spacing the class, too, so some areas get quite crowded. I understand that it’s a business and needs to have customers but perhaps if they offered more classes but at a smaller size, it would help. Alternatively, I’d even be willing to pay a couple of dollars more for each class if they had the same number of people but rented a larger space (or just made the class sizes smaller.)

Love Letter to Hipline:
Dear Hipline,
I think I’ve fallen hard for you. I realized it a couple of weeks ago; I was having a bad day and I just felt crappy. Instead of turning to my first love Pizza though, I turned to you! I said to myself, «When is the next Shimmy Pop class?» and I went! It didn’t even occur to me to get Pizza that evening! I must be in love with you. When I’m with you, I don’t even feel like I’m working out (except for the sweat pouring down my face, the burn, and the aches the next day) because I’m having so much fun! When I’m with you, I feel great about myself. I love taking class with your different instructors of every race, body type, and style one can imagine. Your instructors are all so completely different and beautiful in their own ways. Now don’t get me wrong dearest Hipline. I can’t be exclusive, I mean I still plan to see Pizza on occasion, but you’re my primary love now. I never imagined Pizza would ever be replaced by a workout studio as my primary, but because of you Hipline, it has. Can’t wait to see you tomorrow and the next day and the next…
Love, Tracy

After putting it off for a few weeks, I finally made it to a class here with my cousin. She has been coming since last year and likes it a lot, so I was interested in checking it out. Plus, the first class is free which definitely helped to get me in. I don’t generally do pop classes, so it was nice to know there’s a no-​risk way to try it out :)
It’s a bit tricky to find if you don’t know it’s there, but an easy walk from Lakeshore near the Trader Joe’s plaza, and up the stairs. The studio has a quirky feel to it, and I definitely liked it. It feels spacious and comfortable. I think my cousin mentioned it’s female-​only. The hallways are wide and there are separate stretching corners, and the classrooms are spacey as well. They have lockers that are available for free use to lock up your phone and wallet and other valuables if you have any, just need to trade in your car keys for a locker key. There’s also childcare, I saw on the website, but I don’t know anything else about that.
The class was fab! I did Shimmy Pop with Giti (Sunday mornings). I thought it would be really confusing to follow the choreography, but she did a great job. She walked around before the class started to meet the people she didn’t know yet (like me — I definitely liked this personal touch). And did previous of steps (either before the song or before the next sequence). It also helped that the same movements were repeated, so even if you don’t get it the first couple of times, you’ll probably figure it out by the end. That being said, I noticed a lot of women just kinda doing their own thing — it’s a fun, comfortable environment, and you’re certainly not pressured to do the moves like everyone else — just keep on movin’ ;)
The only thing for me is that it’s a bit far from where I live (in SF) so it’s a bit of a trek, but I definitely want to return.

My friend SKL and I signed up for a class for our GNO to work off some calories before dinner. She ran late and I ventured into the class alone, slightly hesistant. Where is my security blanket friend? Help! No fear, the staff was über friendly and Rozz, our instructor, was full of energy and fabulous. I felt like I was working out but also having fun, dancing and shaking it with the rest of the ladies in the room. I wasn’t sure what to expect but what had happened was an hour full of sweaty goodness and hip swags, core exercises paired with freestyle dance moves. What more can you ask for? You won’t be disappointed if you give it a try!

Love this place.
Being in an all lady environment is really amazing, and the whole Hipline atmosphere is extremely welcoming and supportive. Each teacher is different and unique, but they are all fun, very energetic, and extremely encouraging.
Getting a workout while dancing and singing is the best. Great spot for a workout!
(Iris is my favorite!)

My daughter absolutely loves this place and she just started taking classes on Saturday and wanted me to check it out with her today as the first class is free! I love dancing and toning and this was just the ticket! Samar was very energetic and welcoming! I could see why my daughter loves the class, as Samar makes you feel empowered and energetic.
The class was Power Pop and starts with dance moves, with fun cardio and ends with toning moves. Parking is located in the Trader Joe and Walgreen lot off Lakeshore Avenue. The studio is cool and spacious and appears to be just for women. Classes are $ 18 for a single but the more classes you buy, the less it costs per class. I would recommend it for those who need a motivational boost which is positive and energetic. You leave feeling great and energized. The reason for the 4 star is because one, it is expensive per class unless you plan to take all your classes here.
Two, I like my classes to be coed, but that’s just me. I belong to three other studios and they are all coed.

So much fun!
I moved to the Bay Area 2 years ago and have been trying to find my workout place this entire time.
I tried the gym couldn’t get motivated. Classes at the gym just weren’t as fun as a hoped. Also tried the Barre method and was just soooo slow.
And now this! I wish I had found this place so much sooner!
Going in to new classes with new people (at least for me) is not my favorite thing to do.
The ladies at the front are super sweet and make you feel really comfortable. The instructor herself Giti was amazing! I have no dance experience and yes there were times that I got a little lost but never enough for me to even think twice about it. Everyone in the class is obviously there to have fun with no judgement. Ladies of all shapes/​sizes and ages just looking to shake it and have a good time.
I was winded at times, I can tell I’ll be sore tomorrow and I left feeling sexier– can’t beat that!
I’m hooked!
There is parking but give yourself enough time to find a spot.

Hipline is amazing. It’s like dancing at a club, but with choreography!
The enthusiasm of the instructors, the music used in the classes, and the general upbeat vibe is awesome. Each instructor is different, so you can pick and choose the classes based on your preference. I also love the variety of women that go to hipline, and the nonjudgmental nature of everyone in there. Whether you’re an experienced dancer or a novice, everyone is welcome.
Do note, they are super strict about their class scheduling, including being late for class. When I first started, I got chewed out for being 3 minutes late and not calling the front desk to let them know I’d be late. As I was new, and the policy isn’t really clearly delineated, I had no idea. Felt the front desk could have been a bit more delicate in how they handled this, but whatevs. In the large scheme of things, it was a minor inconvenience.
Overall, this place is gem.

I absolutely love this place. The only reason it isn’t getting 5 stars is because I believe it’s overpriced. I would definitely go more if I could afford to. But with $ 18 a class I can barely afford one clas a week. I’ve done the passes which is definitely cheaper, but not that much cheaper.
Go to Lila’s, Iris and Heather’s classes– these ladies are awesome!

Writing a review after my first visit which is unusual for me but this place was so incredible, I thought I would do it.
Zumba is weird and unfun, spinning is trendy and unfun, and running hurts your knees badly in the long run. So what’s a girl to do for cardio? HIPLINE. I was skeptical of the name and the «kumbaya we are all sister spirits» vibe but if you can get past that or don’t mind that, you’ll find a wonderful place to feel good about yourself and your fellow classmates while dancing your ass off.
Taylor was the teacher in my class and her energy was infectious. The music was mostly hip-​hop and R&B which is perfect for dancing! Everyone in the class was sweaty and really feeling the music. The class was diverse with all different ethniticies, body sizes, clothing styles, everything. The studio itself is beautiful, absolutely beautiful, spacious, and well planned out. You can tell the owners really put a lot of thought into it.
I love that the teachers are former dancers and have a musicality and technique that only dancers can have. It brings a lot more to the classes, and it’s inspiring. I also like that they have special dance nights and events which seems like a lot of fun!
I definitely understand some of the complaints other Unilocalers have had about heteronormativity at Hipline. I think given Hipline’s inclusiveness of all women, they could do a better job of being more welcoming to lgbt folks. I think with time, the instrutors will understand this and change behavior accordingly.
Another small note: It is far and not at all near a BART but it is worth it. Drive, Lyft/​Über, or take an AC bus from 19^th or MacArthur and dance on!

Hipline means so much more to me than what will fit in this little box. Since discovering Hipline in 2012, I’ve lost weight, improved my fitness and adopted a regular exercise program. But that is the absolute least of what Hipline has done for me. Hipline has taught me self-​love and self-​belief. It has given me community when I was on my own. It has provided me with a clearer vision of myself and the direction I want my life to take. «5 stars» does not even begin to cover it. All I can say is «Thank you», from the very bottom of my heart.

First, I love to dance. Any studio that has competent, talented teachers, great music, and good organization is good! i love the aesthetically friendly vibe, the colors, and the chalk everywhere. i also seriously admire, love, and respect some incredible dancers that teach at this studio, namely Laila, Heather, and Giti.
I am docking two stars for two reasons:
1) the classes are TOO packed! it isn’t fun to try to dance, fully and energetically, when there is someone twelve inches from you that you might hit. the flavor gets lost, and instead of focusing on the incredible, talented teachers and the great music, the energy is instead focused on not running into the people next to me. and it creates a competitive vibe related to space (not talent), which doesn’t feel very good either, particularly at the pricey cost of classes.
2) please, please, please become conscious of use of heteronormative language! i don’t assume all the people in the space are straight, nor gender conforming. it doesn’t feel good to be complicit in the blanketing of our experience as «women.» we don’t all want to do men, or feel similarly about our gender identities.
that’s my 2c. at the end of the day, it’s a sweet space that i enjoy, and i think it has some work to do. (don’t we all?)

How great must a business be to have 5 stars on Unilocal?You can take lessons from Hipline to find out.
I had to miss my classes today because of an illness so you can imagine how much I was craving my Shimmy and Power Pop classes all day while sick at home.
Let me first tell you– you’ll feel strange at first stepping into an all-​women dance studio where all the happy women in the East Bay go to work out. And really, it doesn’t even feel like a work out!
I’ve been going to Hipline classes for the past two months and I already feel and look better. After a long day at work, I can rush into a Power Pop class with Christina, Heather or Taylor and feel empowered for the rest of the day! I love the instructors’ energy and confidence that exude and flow into all the students! After class, I feel ten times happier and stronger and I’m not even exaggerating!
I’ve met beautiful and confident women in my classes (shout out to Sandra and Karen!) and hope to make more friends as comfortable in their skin as they are.
And oh my gosh, the instructors! THEY’RE MORE THAN AMAZING/​BEAUTIFUL. I WANNA BE JUST LIKE THEM!!! But really.
My favorite instructors are Christina, Heather, Taylor and Nicky (I guess all the ones I’ve learned from…)
Christina has a more gentle energy that I really appreciate after a long day’s work. I think her Power Pop classes are always so challenging yet so well-​paced and rewarding.
Oh and Heather, I love how open she is with her students. One time, she told us about her personal story and that she may have lower than usual energy. I too had a pretty bad day and could totally relate to her. I love how encouraging she is in and out of class. I always appreciate her honesty and super woman power!
TAYLOR– she’s the funniest and the most lovable person EVER! I think I get a work out in her class because she makes me smile and laugh so much during classes. Her Power Pop classes kick my butt (oh that bicycle song…) and her taste in music is ON POINT. I love her R&B and rap music SO MUCH and I just want to hug her every time I see her!
And oh Nicky, I think she’s the one who sealed the deal for me at Hipline. She’s beautiful both inside and out and has this mysterious and beautiful air about her. I also LOVE Nicky’s songs and equally love her way of teaching step by step during the song. I think I get the most «in my zone» during Nicky’s classes as I love her variety in music– Sexy Shakira to Bubbly Beyonce.
I do wish that the canceling fee is on the lower side because sometimes I feel too sick last minute or have an emergency/​traffic situation happen. But I think the ladies at Hipline really try hard to make things work for you and do their best to remember you by your first name, which I always appreciate.
I can go on and on about this place and wish I could dance here for many many more years to come. Thank you for teaching me to be less awkward and reminding me to embrace my body/​sexiness everyday!

The best version of myself shows up to Hipline — a little bit of sassy four year old me with lace gloves, dancing in the living room to Madonna’s «True Blue» while my dad’s trying to watch the football game, a little of fourteen year old me body rolling and crawling on the ground in my best friend’s bedroom to Deftones, and mostly dirty thirty bohemian me who has no shame to let it ALL (every beautiful ounce of jelly) shake n shimmy. And the instructors make it so easy to be the best version of yourself with their insistence for everyone to «let it go, LET IT GO,
.go…» and «if you’re different, this is your opportunity to love yourself MORE.» Each one is like your best friend, your mentor, or your older sister who taught you how to put on lipstick for the first time in mom’s old powder compact.
I’ve actually been taking Zumba and UJam classes all around the Bay Area for the last three years and yes, Hipline has a similar format in their choreography and sequences (easy to follow for the most part), but Hipline instructors are actual legit dancers, most of them dancing since they were very young. They just bring something more to the table than a person who got a certificate after an 8 hour long workshop two Sundays ago. It keeps me engaged and always trying to improve with higher kicks or deeper hip dips. This place also trumps your average dance class at a gym in that they promote wellbeing and happiness in a way that I haven’t seen before, and really the secret to consistency with working out is to find a place that challenges you emotionally and physically in the most fun atmosphere of all time.
Sure, sometimes making heart shapes with your hands while dancing to Whitney Houston, drawing on the wall with colored chalk and scream-​singing «love is a battlefield» while jumping and wildly whipping your hair around is borderline cheesy teenage summer camp, but it feels so fucking good. So, douse yourself in gold glitter, kick off your shoes, and get ready for the best endorphins of your life.
And yeah, you might get blisters the first few times, but don’t worry, your bare soles will eventually be the best dance shoes you ever wore.
Bottom line: 1. Absolutely take advantage of their 2 weeks for $ 25 for new members. 2. The parking lot gets a little stuffy and congested, but it’s parking — woohoo! 3. They’re located behind Top Dog; follow the pink railing. 4. This place is worth every last penny. I give you immediate permission to break Fred, your loyal piggy bank. 5. Hope to see you there!

I’ve been doing Hipline for 2 months now, and it’s the best thing ever!
If you want to start or end your day right, this is the place to do it. You will become:
Stronger
More coordinated
Happier
This is working out while having tons of fun! It’s worth every penny and I would totally recommend it everyone!

I really enjoyed the Shimmy Pop classes here! I started with a 3-​class deal from Amazon Local. What a fun way for us ladies to get our bodies moving. It’s kind of like Zumba, but instead of a majority-​Latin-​music theme, it’s like breaking it down at the club with your girlfriends — the majority of the songs are mainstream — some are from years ago, some are current top 40 hits.
I’ve tried 4 different instructors and have LOVED it! Every instructor has a different style & different songs, but I left every class sweaty & in a great mood. My favorite has been the evening class with Nicky. That girl has so much energy — it’s infectious. The lights got turned down low, and out came the disco ball & colored lights. SO fun. The classes with Gabriela and Carina have been great too!
The parking situation is often pretty hairy — free parking in the lot and garage that’re shared with Trader Joe’s & the rest of this shopping center… but it seems it’s usually hard to find a spot. Leave yourself extra time if you need to park your car!
Why only 4 stars? 2 reasons — it’s a bit pricey, and the special wood floors that they have in the studio mean that you have to dance barefoot or in special dance shoes. As someone with problematic feet, barefoot exercise doesn’t work for me… and it was hard to find approved shoes that would work with my picky, hard-​to-​work-​with feet.

OH MY GOD. This was so fun.
I read the reviews on Unilocal and went in… admittedly suspicious. But I haven’t been dancing in a while, and I needed to get off my butt, and the Hipline reviews were incredible. So I booked a class online, and I went too a Shimmy Pop class with Heather. When I arrived, I could tell that everyone was excited for the class to begin. Like seriously… there was an excited anticipation in the room. I, cautiously, found a space toward the back of the room. The music was already blasting. As a non-​blaster, I took a deep breath and managed to not run out of the room.
Heather came in and started yelling and singing and grooving and though I was super-​intimidated by the noise and crowded room, before I knew it, I was booty popping, punching, swinging, dropping it low, shimmying, shaking it… you name it, I shimmied it or popped it ’till it hurt so good.
It. Was. So. Fun. And other than hiking, I hate exercise. Passionately. So I’m super-​amazed that I had this much fun.
Hipline deserves their 5-​star rating for sure.
UPDATE: 14 months later, I’m now going to Hipline six days a week. And given my previous couch-​potatoness, that’s completely bananas. My week is only complete when I groove with Nicki on Wednesdays and shimmy it out with Heather on Sundays. I also love shimmying it with Samar, Taylor, Iris and Giti. So, so fun! And dang, I love the bodacious women in my classes, too. From tatted to tame, slim to shapely, babes to hot mommas… this studio is a magnet for awesomeness. XOXOXO
I am so grateful to have Hipline in my life.