Earthbound: An Intermediate Shibari Series

Join us for our second Earthbound series!

Earthbound is an intermediate-level shibari class series for rope students looking to expand their technical skills and explore how to tie with intention, fluidity, and connection. By the end of the last class, you'll be turning your tying into a full-body conversation.

A summary of what you’ll learn:

• Essential harnesses for floor-based tying
• How to shape your partner's movement, including body mechanics and positioning
• Building emotional arc and scene flow
• How to create scenes with intention, not just patterns

Ideal for those confident with single and double columns, frictions & hitches, and basic rope safety, but new to harnesses and scene-building.

Details:

Prerequisites:
This series of classes is aimed at advanced beginner students. Those interested in participating should know how to tie:

• Single- and double-column ties
• Forward vs. reverse tension
• Common hitches & frictions (half hitch, Munter hitch, X-friction, half-moon friction, & hojo cuffs)
• Lock-offs/how to burn rope

Class Details:
This 5-part series will teach you skills and harnesses to help you build more intimate scenes and refine your technique, culminating in how to use what you've learned in freestyle floor scenes that are satisfying for both partners.

• How to Build a Harness: In this class, we'll go over harness components, including how and why harnesses work. We'll go more in depth into hojo cuffs, frictions, reinforcing stems, and what makes something sustainable and stable versus uncomfortable, unsafe, and unstable.
• Demystifying the TK: The takate-kote, TK, gote, or "box tie" is still a classic and widely used tie in shibari, but if tied incorrectly, can lead to nerve and/or shoulder issues. In this class, not only will we go over at least one TK pattern, we'll also go over TK safety, body positioning, and several ways to modify TKs to make them more comfortable and sustainable for everybody.
• Bedroom Bondage & Rope for Impact: In this class, we'll take a break from the more technical content from the last two classes and focus on something more "fun": we'll teach you ties that you can use in the bedroom to create exposure and vulnerability, as well as how to move your partner around using these ties. You can also use them to add rope to your impact scenes, as these ties will put your partner into positions that display their "target" areas for easier striking (and prevent them from running or jumping around).
• Exploring Semenawa: Semenawa is defined by Shibari Study as "'torture rope' but is more than simply torture or pain for the sake of pain. Rather, it reflects an appreciation of the beauty of persistence through adversity being both intimate and intense." In this class, we'll explore some elements of semenawa, including endurance and overcoming adversity with some deceptively simple floor ties. (These ties are not actually painful, they are just difficult to stay in for long periods of time.)
• Connective Floorplay: Now that you have several harnesses and skills in your rope toolkit, we'll teach you how to use them to create connective floor scenes with your partner. We'll go over distance, body positioning & manipulation, creating mood and emotion, and more. We'll also go over ways to include some accessories in your scenes to add (or take away) different sensations.

Scheduling:

• Each class is 2 hours long and does not include time to practice after class. Each class is scheduled 2 weeks apart to give you time to practice the skills you learned at home.
• Please don't attend if you're feeling ill. We do allow missed classes for illness and other absences, and are willing to work with you to schedule makeup classes.

Group Rules:

• Please review our group rules. Attending means you've read the rules and agree to follow them.
• If this is your first time at the studio, we'll have you complete our Liability Waiver & Code of Conduct Agreement (or you can print and complete them ahead of time from the same web page above).

Buying Tickets & Event Capacity:

• Tickets are $125/pair for all 5 classes.
• We are limiting attendance to 5 tying pairs. We strongly recommend that you bring a partner to practice on, as not everything we teach will be self-tie-friendly.
• If you want to avoid Forbidden Tickets's fees, you can select the registration-only ticket and pay an alternate way. We accept cash, checks, credit/debit cards, PayPal (@BoxTieStudio), Venmo (@boxtiestudio), and Cashapp ($ropespaced). If you pay one of these ways ahead of time (not at the door), please indicate which order it's for (the email address on your order works).
• We strongly believe in making rope education accessible to all, no matter your economic status; if the ticket cost is a little out of your budget, please reach out to us and we may be able to work something out. Payment plans are also an option!

What To Bring & Wear:

• Bring a blanket or yoga mat to sit or tie on; there are a few chairs. Also bring water, rope, and safety shears. We recommend 6-8 full lengths (~25-30 feet long), 2 or 3 half lengths (~12.5-15 feet long), and some tiny "cheater" ropes (a.k.a. "shit-bits") for an intermediate-level kit.
• We will have loaner rope available to borrow. We also sell rope, if you don't have any yet.
• Dress comfortably in clothing that isn't too loose or flowy and still permits a full range of motion (many people wear workout clothing). Vanilla to the door, no nudity inside; genitals and anuses must be covered.

Parking & Arrival Time:

• Doors open at 6:00. Please try to arrive early! We will be closing the doors at 6:30 so we can start ASAP. If you know you're going to be late, please text Cait at (207) 558-2930. If you arrive and the door is locked, please knock loudly, as our doorbell is broken :(
• There is plenty of parking. When you turn onto Ingersoll Drive, the parking lot is the first left, and we are the first building on the left. We are the second-floor end unit; you'll see tall windows and skylights from outside. Please text Cait at (207) 558-2930 if you have trouble finding us.

Miscellaneous:

• No guns or other weapons are allowed on the premises.
• There is no smoking indoors. Please step outside to smoke.
• The use of drugs or alcohol is prohibited. If you're suspected to be under the influence, you and your partner will be ejected from that night's class. If a second infraction occurs, you will both be ejected from the rest of the series without refund.
• We have a dog and there will likely be dog fur throughout the studio, although we do our best to keep it as clean as possible. If you're allergic, please take note.
• There are 3 short concrete steps to get into the building and a flight of carpeted stairs to get into the studio. Unfortunately, there is no elevator access.

If you have any other questions, please reach out to us or text Cait at (207) 558-2930! You can also contact @ropespaced (Cait) or @Griffin207 (Jack) on FetLife. Otherwise, we hope to see you there!