The beauty of Shibari is best expressed in intimate gatherings. Over the past 20 years, the Shibari world has exploded out of the underground with events worldwide getting bigger in scale and mostly centred around workshops. However, in this event we will go back to the roots, creating a space for people to gather and enjoy Shibari together regardless of skill level, experience, or style.
This event is inspired by my salon that I used to run monthly in Shanghai called '私会‘. The aim of this Salon is to give people the opportunity to exchange skills, and insights and appreciate the friendship that is created through ropes. A salon can be better described as a rope meeting, with emphasis on being an interactive experience as a whole group rather than having a divide between the facilitator and the audience. After holding many workshops and performances I have come to realise that my favourite way to enjoy Shibari will always be in a casual, intimate environment; where we can tie, talk, drink tea, and eat together, to freely enjoy Shibari without inhibition.This is not a performance or jam, participants are encouraged to participate in the activities and get to know others in this space. The time is spread out from 1:00pm to 8:00pm to allow for a slow pacing. People may enter and exit the studio freely throughout the day and are welcome to bring food to eat in the space.There will be a programme of different activities, and the aim is to provide an opportunity to exchange skills, conversation and create connection through our shared passion for Shibari. Tying is only a fraction of the event and I encourage participants to come to share stories and be open to discussing all things in and around rope.
Personal note:
Now that I have left my base city of Shanghai, this salon will be an ongoing series to connect with rope lovers worldwide. To understand how others practice and to share my own personal approach.
A loose idea of the plan for the day:
13:00-15:00 Tea time
As a lover of tea and tea ceremony, we will open the event with discussions over chinese tea. We can discuss rope or anything around it and I will share some stories from my experience in this world of rope
15:00-16:00 Rope Games
Shibari can also be considered a game. Just like for children, games are a valuable tool for learning and connection. We will play some games to break the ice and get silly with ropes.
16:00 17:00 - Skill Sharing
I will facilitate a small peer-to-peer skill exchange. We will decide as a group what we want to focus on, whether that is about a particular position/harness, body handling or about communication practices in Shibari.
17:00- 20:00 Session time
Participants are invited to tie freely at this time. This is a good opportunity to learn by watching and 'steal' techniques from other people’s sessions. I will also be open to tying with a few people on the day, if you want to experience my rope at this time. It is best to come early and we can get to know each other during tea time before approaching me for a tie.
$60 RSVP for a single person
As with other international guests, the process to register has 2 steps: a deposit to RSVP your ticket and a CASH BALANCE which you will need to bring on the day of the event. All details in the confirmation email.
If the event is sold out, you can sign up for a WAITLIST HERE
CANCELLATION POLICY: you can reschedule once or ask for a refund up to 48 hours before the event. A processing fee of 5% will be subtracted from all refunds. No refunds will be issued with less than 48 hours notice.