Jump, bounce and fly at BoomShaka in Tumwater

Ever wanted to dunk a basketball? And not just a barely-over-the-rim dunk, but a one-handed, tomahawk jam a la Shawn Kemp, or perhaps a rim-shaking, two-handed throw down like Dominique Wilkins (He played for the Atlanta Hawks, kids).

All of that might be possible at BoomShaka, a new extreme air sports business that will fill a 37,000-square-foot warehouse in Tumwater. It is set to open in the next two weeks, said General Manager Kirk Jarman, offering wall-to-wall fun in the form of trampolines and other activities, including two basketball hoops placed above trampolines.

And then imagine this: People bouncing and jumping through the air with glow-in-the dark wrist bands, while the “jump-o-tron” — similar to a jumbotron — blasts music and videos for those in attendance.

“It is an adrenaline-fueled experience,” Jarman said.

BoomShaka is the creation of parent company Circus Trix of Provo, Utah. Jarman said the company has opened 30 similar aerial indoor recreation parks around the world, with each getting its own name. In Tumwater — the first Circus Trix park to open in the Northwest — it’s called BoomShaka, but in a location set to open in Sacramento, California, it will be called Mojo Dojo, Jarman said.

The business employs 32 people.

Some of the on-site activities:

▪ Extreme dodgeball: an enclosed area of the indoor park where customers can bounce on trampolines and play dodgeball.

▪ Ninja obstacle course: Jarman said the course is similar to the one shown on the TV show “American Ninja Warrior.”

▪ Foam pits: Customers can run up ramps and dive into foam pits.

▪ Trapeze and X-Swing: Fly through the air on the trapeze or swing and then let go to fall into a foam pit.

▪ Eurotrampolines: This requires that you fall onto a trampoline and then do aerial tricks off a padded wall.

Some might wonder about safety after all this fun.

Jarman said the rules are explained to customers by the “flight crew” — the term they use for employees. The rules include: no running, no “double bouncing,” which means to bounce on a trampoline to make another person on the trampoline bounce even higher. And it’s one person at a time at each activity, he said.

That might sound like lines form at each activity, but that’s not the case, Jarman said, because there’s enough to do throughout the park. The company’s press kit identifies 10 activities inside BoomShaka.

Customers have to sign a waiver, he said. They also have to play barefoot, or they can purchase gripper socks, Jarman said.

The cost for a “flight ticket” is $13 per hour, per person, or $20 for two hours. For those 6 and younger, it’s $10 per hour. They have a special time for those 6 and younger, which is 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., he said.

In addition to the park, the warehouse has four party rooms for birthday parties, corporate events or team-building exercises. The entire space can be rented for a school, church or a slumber party. More than 200 people can use the space at one time, Jarman said.

BoomShaka is at 7960 Center St. SW. It will be open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m Mondays through Thursdays and 9 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays. There’s also Club Boom 9 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays for those 15 and older.

Jarman said they wanted to create a safe alternative for teenagers Friday and Saturday nights.

This story was originally published June 14, 2016 at 3:11 PM with the headline "Jump, bounce and fly at BoomShaka in Tumwater."