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How Classes Work in The Devil Mask Society

What is a Cell?

Devil Mask Society instructs locally in what we refer to as Cells. These Cells consist of multiple tying pairs arranged in a cohort. The curriculum is iterative. The tying Cell seeks to explain individual component purposes. These components are then contextualized to allow students to create the aesthetic of their choice. The bottoming Cell, Cell X, builds on a foundation of strong communication and body awareness in a tying lab setting where those in rope explore preferences and current capabilities.

What is a cohort?

A cohort is a group of students undergoing a curriculum together. Cohorts allow individual students the benefit of a larger support structure than a single instructor, or instructor and teaching assistant. Additionally, the cohort allows students to learn from each other. This grouping also creates a community of encouragement and group discovery that can assist different types of learning modalities.

What is the curriculum?

The Devil Mask Society tying Cell curriculum focuses on understanding components essential to patterns, contextualizing those patterns to express aesthetic, and mastering technique for effective communication between tying partners. These three focus areas are taught simultaneously, with each lesson building upon the previous. The end goal of the curriculum is to create a student who has the ability and context to continue to learn in whatever manner they see fit, from whomever they see fit, to express themselves in this medium. The tying curriculum currently spans 20 months with classes meeting formally once per month.


The Cell X bottoming curriculum focuses on building skills for rope vocabulary and communication, self-awareness and preferences in rope, and risk assessment and self-advocacy. These are tackled in a three-prong approach, with each lesson building upon those before it. The end goal of the curriculum is to create an informed, risk-aware student who can approach a new tying situation from a perspective of collaboration with their tying partner. The curriculum spans 12 months, with classes meeting formally once per month.

How does tuition work?

Our local Cell structure is offered without charge. The expectations of tuition are:

  • Students will arrive promptly, prepared for class. (Not more than 15 minutes early.)
  • Students will respect the instructors and their fellow students during class.
  • Students will attend all scheduled classes with no more than three absences (must notify instructors by email in advance).
  • Students will be granted no more than three make up lessons during the 20-month class cycle.*
  • Each lesson will be taught no more than one additional time as a make up. All students who have missed the regularly scheduled class will be expected to coordinate amongst themselves to schedule this single lesson with the instructors.*

Students who are unable to meet the expectations of tuition will be asked to leave their cohort to ensure that other students’ learning is not impacted.

*Only applicable to the tying Cells. Due to the lab and discussion format of Cell X, no makeup lessons are provided.

How often do new Cells open?

Due to limited availability of the instructors and the 12- or 20-month curriculum, new Cells are opened at most once per year - when the current Cell graduates or has decreased in size enough to open an additional block of time.

Who are the instructors?

Current primary instructors of the tying Cell are Ojipan and goodmosttimes (both are cis-gendered switches of European descent). The primary instructors of Cell X, the bottoming curriculum, are goodmosttimes - a cis-gendered woman - and Ordinals - a trans nonbinary individual. Both of them are of European descent. Our TAs hail from various ethnic backgrounds, range in age from mid-20s to mid-50s, and represent different sexual orientations and D/s identities. In both courses, we strive to foster an open and inclusive atmosphere where all feel welcome and respected and expect the same from our students.

Are there details about the classes and the space?

Cell classes are held monthly - tying cell classes are 2 hours and bottoming cell sessions are 3 hours each. They take place in a private residence in Downtown Los Angeles. Unfortunately the unit is not ADA approved and the space limitations, as well as the physical nature of the course, would make attendence by those in wheelchairs inappropriate.

How does someone join a Cell?

Public applications are taken for each Cell several weeks before the cohort begins. After application, there is an interview process. This is to ensure that participants understand the learning commitment fully. Once interviews are complete, invitations are extended to potential members of the new cohort and lessons begin.

  • 11th Cell started in November 2022. You can follow along with the curriculum online via our YouTube channel. See additional details below.
  • Cell X resumed in April 2023 and the current Cell X2 cohort will graduate in April 2024.

Are there more details you can share?

Read through our comprehensive Cell class expectations (for those learning to tie) or the Cell X program guidelines (for those interested in the study of being tied).

What if I'm not local to Los Angeles?

We are incredibly excited to announce that, for the first time ever, the Cell curriculm is now available for viewing online. Classes are available live via our YouTube channel on the 3rd Sunday of each month from 10 am - 12 noon Pacific time. After the live stream, they are available as recordings with captions. Additionally, the video tutorial for each class is made available one month prior to that lesson for students to practice and learn the pattern. Additionally, we have a "study group" channel and Ojipan offers office hours for our Cell students and those following the curriculum on our Discord from 6-8 PM Pacific on the Monday immediately following each class.

Beyond that, we are honored that other local rope instructors have adopted and adapted our teaching methodologies in their own areas. We hope you can locate one close to you.