with Sallie and NoxKnot
Due to its versatility, rope has tremendous potential to be combined with other types of play, including needle play. But integrating two risk-heavy practices can be daunting and lead to unforeseen situations.
Whether on the floor, in suspension, with piercing patterns, pain buttons, or zippers, there are a multitude of possibilities and specific considerations which must be taken into account.
In this workshop, we will discuss risks specific to combining ropes with needle play, provide our perspective on best practice regarding safety and hygiene, offer ideas for scene building, and provide a walk-through demonstration and guided exercises. We will mostly focus on theoretical knowledge, and participants will not be piercing during this workshop.
Attendees are encouraged to bring scene ideas, shapes, or concepts, for which we will provide feedback and guidance.
This workshop is best suited for pairs, as there will not be time for switching in the exercises, but people are welcome to attend for the theoretical part and demo and not participate in the exercise.
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A solid foundation in rope, participants should have some experience with using and understanding suspension lines, although extensive suspension experience is not necessary.
Participants should also have basic understanding and proficiency with Needle play, or plan to get dedicated education on the topic in the future. This is NOT a How-to-Pierce class. We will provide some input on good hygiene, technique and cross-contamination, but this is class is focused on the intersection of rope and needles, it is not meant to be a tutorial on how to practice any of the individual disciplines safely. An intro to play piercing class is available the day before this workshop, and we highly recommend attendees new to piercing take this intro class as well.
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Bring your own ropes — about 8 x 8m lengths, plus a few short pieces is recommended. The studio can't lend ropes for suspension purposes.
Bamboo and suspension rings are provided, but if you need carabiners please bring your own.
Please wear comfortable, flexible clothing that is easy to move in.
No Needles or Sterile Equipment is necessary.
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Sallie and Noxknot have been practicing rope and sharps together for over two years, developing their own joint style for play, photography, and performances. They explore the application of discomfort to reach catharsis, and experiment with using a variety of mediums, including adding sound, to create immersive performances and test the boundaries of their creativity.
Noxknot has been in ropes since 2022. Their background in aerial acrobatics has helped them cultivate a body awareness that they incorporate into their rope practice, along with a curiosity for the aesthetic and acrobatic possibilities that emerge when mixing multiple disciplines. This has been a main driver in their explorations with incorporating sharps and needles with rope, for both performances and artistic pursuits, to private play and the more emotion-dominant aspects.
Sallie is an interdisciplinary performance and visual artist at the crossroads between rope bondage, sharps, and hook suspension. They explore the practice of transcendence and release through struggle, as a self-suspender, rigger, play piercer, and suspendee. Having built their own style and skillset since 2019, they experiment with and integrate a variety of adjacent disciplines into their work through collaborations, including music, technology, tattooing, and dance.