SuspenDC is a flesh hook piercing and suspension event. Participants come here to experience the challenge of placing hooks strategically in their body to dance, pull, or fly—and every dance, pull, and flight is unique. We work with each person to help them make the experience their own.
We make several options available for those ready to jump into the core experience of the event: getting hooked. If you are new to any kind of body modification, try starting off with the suggestions on this page. If you know you are ready to fly, explore your choices for full suspension instead.
Hook Pull
If you are new to body modification, hook pulls offer a great introduction to the experience of flesh hooks. Two or more hooks are placed on your body—the back and chest are popular, but virtually any location is possible. Once placed, clean lines are tied onto the hooks to pull. A partner may pull on the lines for a type of “tug o’ war,” either by hand or by clipping onto hooks of their own, or the ropes may be anchored for you to pull solo. You can also experiment with drumming or vibration on the lines.
This kind of hook placement cannot lift your full weight and cannot be used for suspension.
Hook pulls are an experience in their own right, not merely a step towards suspension. We organize community hook pulls where a dozen participants or more may pull together, share energy, and witness each other’s success. We can also create larger, more complex, and more challenging hook pull experiences for an individual: share your ideas with us and we will work to bring them to life.
Ball Dance
A fantastic and traditional way to have your first piercing experience! The dancer is pierced four to eight times with small hooks, from which pieces of fruit or other weights are hung. You control the intensity by how much you move. Bounce, dance, jump, or spin to get the endorphins going. Slow down, walk, or sit when you need a break.
The hooks used for a dance can only hold the small weights used; they cannot support body weight in any sense. You must register for a ball dance in advance of the event, and walk-up requests cannot be honored. We bring the materials for a ball dance only if needed.
Cheek Spear
Cheek spears are classically part of Hindu hook rituals. A long needle or a specially made “spear” is pierced through one cheek, then the other, creating a metal “bit” between the teeth. On its own or as part of a hook pull or suspension, it creates a deep headspace by hindering speech and forcing introspection. Having a needle through your face is unlike any other body piercing you’ve experienced and is well worth the freckle-like marks it leaves behind.
