Rhythm & Motion
Rhythm & Motion is a San Francisco dance fitness company founded in 1979 that delivers follow-along cardio dance classes (Fusion, Modern, Essentials, RESET) through partner studios in six cities, online via Zoom/YouTube, and at free outdoor venues, serving general adult consumers seeking accessible dance-based workouts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Rhythm & Motion does
Rhythm & Motion is a San Francisco-based dance fitness company founded in 1979 by Consuelo Faust, operating as Rhythm & Motion, Inc. The company delivers high-energy, follow-along dance workout classes built on a proprietary choreography library developed over more than four decades, with 10-12 new routines released every 3-4 months. Its core class formats are Fusion (high-energy cardio dance), Modern (contemporary/lyrical), and Essentials (beginner-friendly), supplemented by the RESET pay-what-you-can community class.
The business runs on a partnership-based distribution model: classes are taught at established dance studios and cultural venues including ODC Dance Commons (headquarters, 351 Shotwell Street, San Francisco), Berkeley Ballet Theater, Bodyvox in Portland, Motion Pacific in Santa Cruz, and additional Sunday/Saturday locations in San Diego, Barre VT, and Richmond VA. The company also delivers live online classes via Zoom, maintains a YouTube library of nearly 200 pre-recorded workout videos, and offers free outdoor classes at Yerba Buena Gardens and Noe Valley Town Square. A Teacher Training Program certifies instructors through a two-week in-person intensive and ongoing mentorship, supporting a network of 200+ certified instructors.
Rhythm & Motion generates revenue primarily through drop-in class fees and location-specific class passes (which cannot be used across partner studios), with additional income from private class bookings (corporate retreats, birthdays, bachelorette parties) and its teacher training program. The RESET class uses sliding-scale pay-what-you-can pricing ($15 suggested). The customer base is primarily individual adults seeking accessible dance fitness, with secondary segments including professional dancers using R&M for cross-training and corporate/private event hosts. Marketing is community-led, anchored by annual participation in the SF Pride Parade (nearly 190 dancers), Bay Area Dance Week, and Dance Day events.
Rhythm & Motion firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rhythm & Motion
- Legal name
- Rhythm & Motion, Inc.
- Website
- https://rhythmandmotion.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Rhythm & Motion is a San Francisco dance fitness company founded in 1979 that delivers follow-along cardio dance classes (Fusion, Modern, Essentials, RESET) through partner studios in six cities, online via Zoom/YouTube, and at free outdoor venues, serving general adult consumers seeking accessible dance-based workouts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rhythm & Motion industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Dance Fitness
- NAICS
- Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Dance Fitness Classes (e.g., Zumba) (HSADABAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Dance & Movement (Ballroom, Contemporary, Social Dance) (EDAAAGAD)
Keywords
Where Rhythm & Motion is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
Rhythm & Motion business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Drop-in Class Fees: Single drop-in class fees charged at partner studios. Prices vary by location. Studios offer both single drop-in rates as well as discounted class pass options. Some locations offer student and senior discounts.
- Class Passes: Discounted multi-class pass options available at all studio locations. Passes are location-specific and cannot be used across different Rhythm & Motion locations.
- Instructor Training Program: Training fee charged for the R&M Teacher Training Program. The fee is fully refunded upon completion of training and first teaching class as a part-time employee.
- RESET Pay-What-You-Can Classes: Wednesday midday class with suggested $15 fee but no one turned away for lack of funds. Sliding scale payment model for community accessibility.
- Private Classes: Organized private classes for business retreats, birthdays, bachelorette parties, and other private events.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | RESET pay-what-you-can class |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard drop-in class |
| Subscription | Monthly | Class passes |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels9 records
Rhythm & Motion product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rhythm & Motion delivers high-energy, follow-along dance workout classes in multiple formats (Fusion, Modern, Essentials) at partner studios in San Francisco, Berkeley, Santa Cruz, Portland OR, San Diego CA, and Barre VT, as well as online via Zoom/YouTube and at free outdoor community venues. The company also runs a teacher training and certification program and books private dance classes for corporate retreats, birthdays, and bachelorette parties. The RESET format provides a pay-what-you-can community class designed to keep the program financially accessible.
Product overview
Rhythm & Motion is a dance fitness studio offering a unified suite of in-person, outdoor, and online dance workout classes. The core offerings are Fusion (high-energy cardio dance) and Modern (contemporary dance-based) class formats, supplemented by Essentials (beginner-friendly) and RESET (pay-what-you-can community) variants. Classes are delivered at partner studios across multiple Bay Area locations as well as online via Zoom and YouTube. The company also operates a teacher training program and offers private event bookings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Rhythm & Motion RESET: A pay-what-you-can class format introduced in 2016, held Wednesdays 12-1pm at the home base in San Francisco, designed to make dance accessible to those without financial means.
Products and services
- Rhythm & Motion Fusion Original high-energy dance workout class blending popular and global music and dance styles for a fun, addictive cardio experience. Starts with a warm-up and leads to stamina and strength-building choreography, designed for adults of all fitness and dance backgrounds.
- Rhythm & Motion Modern Class drawing on modern and contemporary dance vocabulary for a more expansive, lyrical approach to dance workout, balancing choreography and technique with dance-floor euphoria.
- Rhythm & Motion Essentials Beginner-friendly class with extra breakdowns of movement vocabulary, providing a starting point for new students to learn the Rhythm & Motion movement system before progressing to Fusion or Modern.
- Rhythm & Motion RESET Pay-what-you-can community class held Wednesdays 12-1pm at the San Francisco home base (ODC), with a suggested fee of $15 and no one turned away for lack of funds; cash only.
- Online Dance Classes (Zoom & YouTube) Live and pre-recorded virtual dance classes delivered via Zoom and YouTube, with mirrored camera views and clear audio, allowing participants worldwide to take Rhythm & Motion classes from home.
- Outdoor Dance Classes Free outdoor Rhythm & Motion Fusion classes held at Bay Area public venues (Yerba Buena Gardens on Wednesdays and Noe Valley Town Square on select Saturdays), weather permitting.
- Teacher Training Program Intensive training program that certifies experienced and professional dancers as Rhythm & Motion class instructors, including a two-week in-person intensive at SF headquarters, monthly video/Skype reviews, follow-up training at partner locations, an instructor manual, and ongoing mentorship.
- Private Group Classes Private Rhythm & Motion dance classes organized for business retreats, birthdays, bachelorette parties, and other special events; bookings coordinated directly through the studio.
Companies that use Rhythm & Motion
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Rhythm & Motion technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Rhythm & Motion partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, secondary and minor.
- ODC (Dance Commons)corePrimary home base for Rhythm & Motion in San Francisco since founding. ODC provides studio space and administrative support. Brenda Way, Founder and Artistic Director of ODC, describes R&M as 'a bridge' between dance practitioners and the broader community.
- Berkeley Ballet TheatercoreEast Bay location hosting R&M classes since 2018 (7 years). Classes include Fusion, Modern Essentials with multiple instructors including Liz Muller, Leigh Marz, Eyla Moore, and Rena Marie Guidry.
- Yerba Buena Gardens FestivalmajorCo-presenter of annual Dance Day event at Yerba Buena Gardens. Provides sponsorship for free outdoor community dance classes and events.
- Dancers' GroupmajorAnnual partner for SF Pride Parade participation with 'Dance with Pride' contingent. Collaborates on Bay Area Dance Week events.
- Bodyvox (Portland, OR)secondaryPortland partner studio for Rhythm & Motion classes. Classes available Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings.
- Motion Pacific (Santa Cruz, CA)secondarySanta Cruz partner since 2013. Hosts R&M classes on Tuesday mornings and Fundamentals workshops with instructor Rebecca Setziol.
- School of Richmond Ballet (Richmond, VA)secondaryListed as one of Rhythm & Motion's steadfast supportive partners. Location mentioned in 40th anniversary message from founder.
- ODC Healthy Dancers' ClinicminorODC's partner organization providing free health workshops and wellness resources for dancers during February 2025 month of celebrations.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Rhythm & Motion competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- SoulCycle: Premium indoor cycling and rhythm-based boutique fitness brand. Comparable as a community-driven boutique fitness concept with proprietary class formats, certified instructor talent, and an inclusive ethos, though cycling rather than dance.
- Barre3: National barre-based group fitness franchise with both in-studio and online/on-demand offerings. Comparable in combining boutique group classes, an online platform, and a franchise-style instructor network, though barre rather than dance choreography.
- The Dailey Method: Boutique barre and dance-inspired fitness franchise with a multi-location studio model. Comparable to R&M in offering structured group fitness with trained instructors and class packages, though barre-focused rather than dance choreography.
- Pure Barre: Largest national barre franchise offering group fitness classes. Comparable in business model (membership/class pass, certified instructor network, multi-location), though focused on barre technique rather than R&M's dance-cardio format.
Others
- ODC (Oberlin Dance Collective): San Francisco-based dance company and venue partner that hosts Rhythm & Motion's home base at ODC Dance Commons. Comparable as a regional dance/performance organization with adjacent community programming, and a strategic partner rather than direct competitor.
Regional players
- Bodyvox: Portland-based contemporary dance company that hosts Rhythm & Motion classes. Comparable as a performance-driven dance organization with a community fitness/education programming arm in the Pacific Northwest.
Emerging players
- 305 Fitness: Cardio dance-party workout brand founded in Miami, offering in-studio and online dance cardio classes. Closely comparable product format to Rhythm & Motion's Fusion class, with similar emphasis on community and high-energy follow-along choreography.
- AKT (Anna Kaiser): Dance-based cardio workout combining choreography with strength and toning. Comparable as a dance-centric boutique fitness concept with proprietary choreography and multi-format class structure, though more toning-focused than R&M.
- Pound Fitness: Group fitness format combining cardio with drumming-inspired movement, often delivered through licensed instructors. Comparable in operating a licensed-instructor group cardio model with proprietary choreography, though music-and-drumming focused rather than dance.
Direct peers
- Zumba Fitness: The largest global dance-based group fitness brand, offering choreographed cardio dance classes through licensed instructors. Directly comparable to Rhythm & Motion's model of high-energy dance workout classes delivered by certified instructors, though Zumba operates at much greater global scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Rhythm & Motion social profiles
Digital presenceRhythm & Motion financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rhythm & Motion leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Rhythm & Motion funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rhythm & Motion M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rhythm & Motion
What does Rhythm & Motion do?
Rhythm & Motion delivers high-energy, follow-along dance workout classes in multiple formats (Fusion, Modern, Essentials) at partner studios in San Francisco, Berkeley, Santa Cruz, Portland OR, San Diego CA, and Barre VT, as well as online via Zoom/YouTube and at free outdoor community venues. The company also runs a teacher training and certification program and books private dance classes for corporate retreats, birthdays, and bachelorette parties. The RESET format provides a pay-what-you-can community class designed to keep the program financially accessible.
Is Rhythm & Motion a public or private company?
Rhythm & Motion is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Rhythm & Motion founded?
Rhythm & Motion was founded in 1979. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Rhythm & Motion based?
Rhythm & Motion is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Rhythm & Motion make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Drop-in Class Fees are the primary driver. The others are class Passes, instructor Training Program, RESET Pay-What-You-Can Classes and private Classes.
Who are Rhythm & Motion's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are SoulCycle, Barre3, The Dailey Method and Pure Barre. ODC (Oberlin Dance Collective) is listed as an others. Bodyvox is listed as a regional player. Emerging players are 305 Fitness, AKT (Anna Kaiser) and Pound Fitness. Zumba Fitness is listed as a direct peer.
Does Rhythm & Motion have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rhythm & Motion.
What industry is Rhythm & Motion in?
Rhythm & Motion's product category is Dance Fitness. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSADABAD, Dance Fitness Classes (e.g., Zumba), with a secondary code of EDAAAGAD, Dance & Movement (Ballroom, Contemporary, Social Dance). Its NAICS code is 71394 and its SIC code is 7997.