with Joan von Brook & Nikoleta Ginger
In rope play, the bottom is not simply a body placed into a position. Every movement, shift of weight, change in tension, and physical response can influence what happens next. How can we actively participate without interrupting the flow, communicate through the body, and influence the interaction while staying connected to our partner?
In this workshop, we will explore active bottoming through a combination of floorwork and suspension. We will look at body mechanics, positioning, weight shifts, and tension management, exploring how to influence the tying while remaining responsive and allowing the interaction to unfold naturally. In suspension, we will focus on how to work with the support the rope provides, recognize unnecessary tension, and find more sustainable and responsive positions.
We will also pay attention to hypermobility. As a hypermobile model and teacher, Joan has had to develop a conscious approach to supporting her body, managing tension, and participating in rope sustainably. She will share some of the questions and strategies that have shaped her own practice, while encouraging participants to discover what works for their bodies.
Active bottoming is not about constantly moving, resisting, or taking over. It is about developing the ability to respond, influence, and make choices within the rope interaction. Through technical guidance, demonstrations, and hands-on exercises, we will explore body awareness, anatomy, body mechanics, and communication—making space for both physical and, if desired, emotional influence without losing the flow and enjoyment of the interaction.
This is a hands-on workshop combining demonstrations, technical guidance, and guided partner exercises. We will work through a combination of floorwork and suspension, exploring physical responsiveness, body mechanics, tension management, and communication in practice.
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Riggers should be able to handle rope without constant visual control and have comfortable floor tying skills and familiarity with basic single and/or double-column ties are required.
Models should be able to recognize signs of nerve or other physical injury and and to speak up and stop when something does not feel right. They should be comfortable communicating physical feedback, recognizing their own limits, and adapting their participation to what their bodies need. People with hypermobility may find the focus on body awareness, muscular support, and managing tension particularly relevant. The workshop is suitable for participants who want to explore these questions regardless of whether they identify as hypermobile.
No advanced suspension experience is assumed, but participants should be comfortable exploring the relevant partial suspension techniques safely.
Open communication, curiosity, and a willingness to experiment are essential.
The workshop is not intended to teach foundational suspension skills.
Switching during exercises will be possible, sometimes even during one exercise.
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Bring 6-8 ropes, your safety tool, and comfortable clothing.
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Joan von Brook is a presenter, perfomer, rope bottom, rigger and co-founder of Subspace studio in Prague, Czech Republic. She is a shibari addict since 2013. First as a rope-bottom, but almost immediately started also tying actively. She has attended many workshops on both sides of ropes. As a rigger, she is mostly influenced by Soptik and A-Nicolas. As a bottom, she greatly benefits from her experience with
challenging ties either in Naka style or from bottoming for Tifereth and A-Nicolas. Her passion is sharing information about rope-bottoming both for floorwork and suspensions, finding what is already there in people, building confidence and autonomy of both parties and creating flow through movement, small or big. Joan has various sports and dancing background, and loves to look at body and mind as an inseperable unit.Nikoleta Ginger has been practicing
Shibari since 2018, exploring both sides of the rope. Her practice is
influenced by Naka-ryu and Nicolas-ryu, with a particular focus on Yukimura-ryu over the past three years. As a model, Nikoleta is expressive, responsive and emotionally engaged. She is drawn to
exploring vulnerability, shame, surrender, intimacy and deep
emotional states, valuing honest and spontaneous reactions over
performing for the rigger. For her, tying is a dialogue. Communication happens through the body, breath, movement and expression — responding to the rigger while allowing herself to be genuinely affected by the rope and the interaction.