With the SHIBARI MASTERCLASSES we present outstanding contemporary Shibari artists from Europe and beyond to the advanced Shibari community in Zurich.
Felix is one of the most well-known and respected riggers on the European scene. He is characterized by his wild and anarchic personal style, which is strongly inspired by Japanese techniques and aesthetics, but still represents a strictly innovative European approach.
Felix draws heavily on his artistic background as a professional dancer and choreographer, merging his knowledge of 45 years of dance and theater with his now more than 20 years of experience in rope bondage.
Felix masters a wide range of skills, from tying up strictly traditional forms to free, creative composing, from offering pragmatic solutions to exploring artistic questions. He therefore not only teaches technical tools and tricks for creating with rope and anatomy, but also imparts knowledge about sculptural and processual aspects: how to compose with space and time, how to create meaning, how to merge intuition and technique to achieve emotional or theatrical effect.
TAG 1
In his courses on partial and full suspensions, Felix focuses on introducing new patterns, unusual restraints and technical short cuts that go far beyond the so-called "traditional" techniques. He believes that the most important skills for long and complex suspensions are a solid basic knowledge and anatomical understanding, but above all speed and skillful rope control, the ability to install functional and flexible suspension systems and to perform changes and transitions fluently and without hesitation. In addition, the ability to read the possibilities of the body and to use tension and pressure wisely in order to make stressful situations more sustainable. The ability to maintain a compositional overview, an understanding of physics and architecture, the application of physical and emotional mechanics. And to remain humble: to be able to deal calmly with possible mistakes.
Of course, the skills of the model also play an essential role in rope bondage supensions. For this workshop, Felix will be working with Yael Stormborn (Los Angeles), who has a wide range of experience as an aerialist, performer and rope model. Her main apparatus is the Lyra and the Aerial Hammock, but she also performs as a fetish performer in gothic clubs in Los Angeles. Yael is part of an erotic, surreal and dark art performance collective called >> the house of red velvet
TAG 2
Through an introduction to performance skills, Felix tries to convey a deeper understanding of the rope as a design element, the bodies involved and the compositional aspects. A performance is more than a simple demonstration of technical skills and learned patterns. Even on a technical level, an interesting rope bondage performance should show unusual and original uses of the rope: new ways of tying, possibly even never-before-seen and innovative patterns and techniques.
The power of space should be taken into account; distances and levels, gazes and posture can become powerful helpers. The audience is an active part of the theatrical process and must be addressed and integrated. The efficiency of good timing must be practiced, beginnings and endings, rhythm and temporal structure are powerful tools to create stage presence and interest. Listening and shaping the acoustic space are important elements to create atmosphere, add color and create meaning.
In addition, personal commitment, the creation of a theatrical identity will be a topic: the emotional ability to create presence and channel sensations and feelings into expression. The question of representation should be addressed. What do we want to show? What message do we want to send? The concepts of narrative and subtext will be introduced, as well as other possible guidelines and compositional tools.
This workshop is of course also very suitable for all those who have no performance ambitions. All the skills practiced here can also be used as powerful magical tools in private practice and will inspire your bondage and enhance the experience for you and your partners.
Skills / prerequisites
- Mastery of at least one stable Takate Kote /
Gote-Shibari / Chestharness suitable for suspensions (safe tying in max. 5min. 5min)
- experience with partial suspensions & suspension
- fluent mastery of suspension lines / zuri lines
- generally intermediate or advanced tying skills and routine
- good communication skills & practice
- please note that this is a high
risk workshop, especially in terms of nerves
- the workshop is designed for partner work in pairs of rigger and model
- more info & booking below
Yael Stormborn
Of course, the skills of the model play an essential role in suspensions. For this workshop, Felix is working with Yael Stormborn (Los Angeles), who has extensive experience as an aerialist, performer and rope model. Yael has trained in traditional forms of ballet and contemporary dance since her early years before finding aerial acrobatics four years ago. Her main apparatus is the lyra, but she can also be seen in aerial hammack and on the traditional pole. When she discovered rope bondage, this was a pivotal point for Yael to establish the similarities and connections between aerial arts and rope bondage and create a lexicon that is accessible to both Rope Tops and Bottoms. As a kink performer, she is particularly interested in sharing the work she makes with her body and exploring how this impacts her role as a cultural provocateur. Artistically, Yael's work is largely influenced by eroticism and the exploration of devotion,
She often plays with proximity, perspective and the interplay of light, sound and touch to evoke an emotional response. Yael performs at many underground fetish clubs in Los Angeles and at Playa Alchemist at Burning Man. She is also a daughter of >> the house of red velvetan erotic, surrealist dark art performance collective in Los Angeles.
Yael Stormborn on >> Instagram
Impressions of Felix' work - for more see also >> here
SCHEDULE
Sat, 18.03.2023 - 11-19 h
Sun, 19.03.2023 - 11-19 h
LANGUAGES
German, English
Choose your ticket price according to your self-assessment.
With the low(er) income tickets, we also want to give low-income earners the opportunity to attend our events.
We cordially invite high earners to make it with a higher contribution possible for us to make this offer.
We would like to thank you in advance for your solidarity.
For people with particularly low incomes, there are usually additional options for even lower prices.
Please do not hesitate to write to us and ask. We would be delighted if you could join us!
Ticket booking per pair - Rigger & Model. Please note the participation requirements...
PRICE PER PAIR
CHF 620,00
Low(er) Income Tickets
I - CHF 560,00
II - CHF 500,00
III - CHF 440,00
Supporter tickets
I - CHF 680.00
II - CHF 740.00
III - CHF 800.00
Please also read all further info below, too.
FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTRIBUTION LIST
- many - at least 10 ! - Bondage ropes of normal length
- a few - preferably oval - carabiners - or if desired also a ring - for the suspensions
- simple single-colored outfit for the model
GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE EVENT
The aims of our events are to learn together as a group and support shared processes as well as personal development. Couples and all other types of partnerships or constellations are welcome, but you should be aware and open to the fact that the courses are not designed as partnership experiences and that we address each person as an individual. For example, in order to include all participants equally, we usually work with random partner combinations in the exercises. This means that there will be both the same and different gender combinations. Participants should generally be open to working with any person and any body. Exceptions can be discussed on a case-by-case basis.
Gender identity, sexual orientation, age or membership of often marginalized groups such as BBIPoC, migrants, refugees, LGBTQIA*, disabled people, etc. are not criteria when registering and selecting participants. This means that, in principle, everyone is equally welcome and we endeavor to do justice to the respective constellation and different needs, but our resources are limited. If you have any questions in this regard, please contact us.
We expect you to be careful, communicative, consent-oriented and mindful, and we encourage you to respect your own boundaries and self-responsibility.
Hate speech will not be tolerated. Please bring "candy speech".
We reserve the right to ask participants to leave the workshop should their behavior be hurtful or too problematic, and we reserve the right to do so without explanation - although we will likely try to explain. Workshop fees would then be refunded in full. Further claims are then excluded.
You can read more about this topic here.
PRICES AND IF SOLD OUT
We would like to give low-income earners the opportunity to attend our events with low(er) income tickets. We cordially invite high-income earners to make it possible for us to make this offer with a higher contribution. We would like to thank you in advance for your solidarity.
For PEOPLE WITH PARTICULARLY LOW INCOME there is usually the possibility of even lower prices. Please do not hesitate to write to us and ask. We are happy if you can be part of it!
Is the event sold out on the ticket platform? Write to us! There may be a waiting list or another opportunity to take part after all.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Cancellations are free of charge up to eight weeks before the start of the course, up to 4 weeks before the start of the course a cancellation fee of 20% of the course fee is due, up to 2 weeks before the start of the course a cancellation fee of 50% is due. Cancellations and refunds of course fees at a later date are not possible. However, participants can find substitute participants to take up the booked places. In the event of cancellation by the organizer, the course fee will be refunded in full. Further claims are excluded.