with Saara Rei
“Power doesn't corrupt people, people corrupt power.”
- William Gaddis
To feel powerful is to feel as if you have the ability to do something or act in a particular way. Power is a feeling, it is a “self-contained phenomenal experience” (APA Dictionary of Psychology). In a way, power is an internal illusion, a projection of your own capacity, as well as the capacity of others. And yet, as we all have our own perceptions of power, of our own power, and of the power of others, that we all project onto those around us, it indeed affects that way in which we behave towards others. We gesture our perception of power: the court stands for the judge, all do not eat until the head of the table eats, and the beggar on the street is not even graced with your eye contact. How we sit, how we stand, the tone of our voice, and the placement of our eyes all serve as indications of our perceptions of power. And there is a resolution of these gestures in a group, and hierarchies are formed, consciously or not.
In this workshop, we will explore what it means to give and take power, and to receive as well as have power thrusted upon us. We will reflect on what aspects of power can be erotics for us, and explore frameworks for playing with the power we desire with hands-on exercises. We will discuss what it means to define a framework for playing with power, and common practices for managing play, in particular when it is long-term.
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Saara Rei is a multidisciplinary performance artist, Kinbaku practitioner, and workshop facilitator with a professional background in music, dance, education, and public speaking. Performing since early childhood as a dancer and classical musician, Saara has always viewed the stage as a space for honest collaboration between performers and audience. Her artistic voice blends the surreal, the provocative, and the emotionally raw, often exploring the absurd and the dissonant to evoke deep reflection.
Since 2014, Saara has been immersed in Japanese-inspired rope bondage, both as a rigger as well as a highly experienced rope bottom. For her, rope is a form of embodied truth - an intimate exchange where vulnerability cannot hide. As an experienced rope bottom, she has collaborated with some of the most respected riggers in the international Kinbaku community, shaping her approach to both performance and teaching. She is a co-founder of Embodied in Rope, an in-depth educational project and curriculum designed specifically for rope bottoms. Alongside fellow co-founders Anna Noctuelle and Natasha Nawataneko, they also host the podcast Model Behaviour together, offering nuanced conversations about rope from the model’s perspective, backed by over 40 years of combined experience in the scene.
With a strong grounding in power dynamics, sadomasochism, and emotional exploration, Saara’s work embraces hierarchy, intensity, and the healing potential of intentional suffering. Her workshops invite participants to engage with pain, fear, shame, and vulnerability as pathways to presence and transformation. Through this lens, she teaches how suffering - when chosen and understood - can be a profound teacher, guiding us into the immediacy of the present moment.
Holding a Ph.D. in mathematics, Saara blends academic rigor with embodied wisdom. Her teaching style is grounded, playful, and infused with humor, creating a space that is both light and deep - welcoming exploration, complexity, and growth. She considers herself a student of Felix Ruckert and the Schwelle7 community. And with that, she hopes to carry on the spirit of space she was once part of, sharing the lessons she has learned and the perspectives she has gained during her time spent there.