A weekend of workshops – two days of only ropes from lunch until deep into the night. After the Saturday self-suspension workshop, Sunday was for a completely different group, with a correspondingly different focus. A group of seven from a Berlin Tantric massage organisation wanted to see what of Shibari would come together with what they did. More knots and learning, some figures I’d forgotten, vats of chai tea, suspensions, Dasniya and I tying Lewis, another great pot of soup and more post-rope eating around the long table … The theme for the next monthly workshop might be Shibari and Food.

In the meantime, Dasniya hauls over to Helsinki in a week and an half, for a workshop at Todellisuuden Tutkimuskeskus. For those who are interested in doing her workshop, all the information is below.

Archeypical Encounters in Shibari
A performative rope research in Helsinki

When: February 23th to 27th, 2012
Schedule:
Thu 17-21h
Fri 17-21h
Sat 12-18h
Sun 12-18 + Showing
Mon contemplation + future planning

Where: Todellisuuden Tutkimuskeskus (Reality Research Center) / Suvilahti / Puhdistamo 6, II krs / Helsinki, Finland

Costs: 100 €, max 12 participants
Contact: Julius: julius.elo@gmail.com / 050-537 4244
Dasniya: workshops@dasniyasommer.de
More information: Todellisuuden Tutkimuskeskus , Dasniya Sommer

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Utopia
What goods are at stake in a Second Life age of global mega bit exchange? Among billions of personal and more anonymous data, identities get suspended. If things were simply upside down, or inside out it would be an easy trot. But affairs seem more intricate. Seizing chaos literally. Rooting bodies airwards, floating into the world wide void.

Incompatible archetypes form patchwork communities and trench warfares. On the scout for oneness, traveling meditative galaxies, individuals become partially ascetic. Is the social task to transform and reduce archetypical existence to zen-zero?

The Method: Atheist Yoga & Un-Shibari:

Traditional Shibari settings operate with binary constellations like active-passive, men- women, dominant-submissive. One person taking control over a second person, by restricting and decorating them with ropes. Or: The Good and the Evil, The Beauty and the Beast.

What questions are needed, in order to move beyond these (gender insensitive) concepts?

-what archetypical behaviour do we find, and identify with, within the normative Shibari practice? why disidentifying with these figures? why are they enjoyable/can be problematic?
-towards what dynamic do specific type-constellation lead?
-how can rope technique be tailored, so that it becomes compatible with performative role models?
-what archetypical sensual/sexual patterns do practitioners decisively or unconsciously experience, copy, manifest or challenge in relation to their (sub-) cultural context?
-what concepts for semi-intimate relations allow for these kind of experiments in real life? (between romanticism, polyamory and asexuality)
-which other socially informed practices, like reading, dancing, massaging, tea ceremony, food can be combined?

Generating performative material:

-investing into stupidity, non-rational primitive actions -combining these with ropes
-self-suspension as subversive strategy
-adding archetypical performance to the rope work
-learning the traditional technique and finding new approaches -rope improvisation
-deviating dramaturgies within a rope situation: self->partner->self suspension

More meta-material to generate tasks/for Mondays reflection:

-avoiding second nature-shibari patterns or their (semi-)conscious reproduction -unjudging, indulging and exploiting them
-transforming the archetype
-talking about (care-) ethics
-being critical on Shibari/BDSM practices?
-finding formats for non-/participatory performances