Shibari study, photo: Viktor Herak.
Berlin is known for a lot of different things: history and the wall, Berghain and techno, doner and currywurst, to name a few. But two central elements of the capital’s culture are sex and art. These two intriguing aspects of life in Berlin come together perfectly in Shibari, a type of Japanese bondage that focuses on the aesthetic of the bound body. Although we are in the midst of a pandemic and sex clubs and museums are closed, Shibari is a great way to satisfy your craving for something both kinky and creative. There are a number of organizations and instructors that still offer workshops and classes on the art of Shibari during the pandemic.
Shibari (縛 り), which translates to “to bind” or “to tie,” is the art of bondage that originated in Japan as early as the 1600s. The word Shibari has been adopted by Western subcultures of BDSM while the Japanese word Kinbaku (緊 縛), which means “to tie tightly so that there is no movement after the tie”, is also sometimes used. Coco Katsura, a Berlin-based Japanese artist and Shibari instructor, describes Shibari as having a slightly “lighter” connotation than Kinbaku, making him more accessible to the casual student. “Kinbaku is a deeper, harder form of sexual bondage,” he says. “Shibari is more open to everyone.” Most of the organizations discussed here refer to their art as Shibari, so we will continue to use this word throughout the article. Shibari explores the aesthetic of the bound body through different (often asymmetrical) positions and suspensions and focuses on the binding process not so much on the final product. Consent, trust, and limits are essential to practice.
A few of these organizations had to switch to a virtual format when the pandemic hit, others have always operated through video instruction, and some instructors have had to resort to private sessions only. The string scene in Berlin is incredibly inclusive, welcoming and safe. All the experts I spoke with stressed the importance of consent and that sexism, ableism, racism (or any other ism moreover) would not be tolerated under any circumstances.
Here are some options if you want to practice Shibari in Berlin during the pandemic:
Karada House
“Karada” means body in Japanese, but also refers to an intricate binding, so it’s no surprise that the house of Karada here in Berlin offers Shibari workshops. Karada House is a positive body art space that welcomes and supports queer people. To ensure fairness in their classrooms and services, they “focus [their] attention especially to bodies and people who are not favored by the current system but watched, made invisible, undesirable or even dangerous and whose demographics [they] are also part of LGBTQIA +, BiPOC, womên. Karada House switched to online education during the pandemic; “Virtuality and privacy are not mutually exclusive,” said a representative. “It just requires small technical adjustments, understanding the emotional nature of the moment and creating a (r) safe space that people feel good in. We know how to do it. ” Despite the complications of online education, the organization “is always happy to connect and learn.”
Karada House offers a variety of Shibari workshops (currently online) for a small fee of 15 euros. They also adjusted ticket prices out of solidarity (slightly cheaper) or support (a little more expensive).
photo: Karada House
Oh yes please
In addition to these online courses, Karada House has also created OhYesPlease, a video service that teaches the fundamentals of consensual kinks (not just Shibari). They provide “a diverse, non-dogmatic and playful online education on a variety of perverse and sexual topics,” while prioritizing marginalized communities in their work. In keeping with this philosophy, their facilitators ensure that all instruction is gender-neutral in order to maintain the importance of their diverse audience. Their classes are not only about the erotica of the evil subcultures, but also work to make sure everyone is safe and happy with their game.
Their videos are a bit more expensive than Karada House – up to 100 euros per video.
photos: Oh yes
Shibari study
Shibari Study is an online subscription service that is “dedicated to making high quality rope education available and affordable to anyone who wishes to learn the art of Shibari”. They offer lessons for all skill levels (so they’re perfect for starting your Shibari journey) and also sell ropes in conjunction with Anatomy Studio. Their classes focus on aesthetics and the exchange of power, seriously increasing sex appeal.
For $ 25 / month, you can access all of the Shibari study courses in video format (and there are a ton of them!) You can also take a seven-day free trial.
photos: Viktor Herak for the Shibari study
Ann Antidote
Moving away from organizations and online databases for the practice of Shibari, there are also many Berlin-based individual artists and instructors, one of them being Ann Antidote. Prior to the pandemic, Ann and her partner Lun Ario offered public and private classes in their homes for all levels of Shibari as well as advice for films and art projects. During the pandemic, they suspended their public lessons but continue to teach privately on request when lockdowns permit and have continued to work on various art projects.
Consent is absolutely compulsory in their practices and they invite all participants (including themselves) “to verify discriminatory or violent behavior: racism, ableism, sexism, etc.” adding: “people who don’t follow this are not invited.” Ann is drawn to Shibari because of the many aesthetic expressions in the practice. “I like that the rope is an ordinary object full of associations,” she says. “You use it to sail, tie up a bundle, climb, put a coffin on the ground.”
You can contact Ann Antidote for a fee listed for private sessions.
photo: Jo Pollux
Coco Katsura
Coco Katsura has been performing in Berlin in the underground body modification and Shibari scene for ten years. Unfortunately, she hasn’t been able to happen at all since the pandemic began and instead started teaching online last December. “It’s difficult,” she says, “because during this pandemic we really have to reduce our human contact.” Coco sees Shibari more as an art form than a sexual practice; she claims that for her, the rope game is a beautiful body decoration more than an element of BDSM. Safety, chemistry, aesthetics, and human feeling are all at the heart of his Shibari practice.
Coco currently offers virtual workshops every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday for 25 euros per person. You can book here.
photos: Coco Katsura
Tamandua
Tamandua is the only artist on this list who specifically refers to practicing Japanese chord playing as Kinbaku. Tamandua is both a Berlin-based string artist and instructor. He describes Kinabaku as a meeting of “aesthetic expression and emotional or erotic intention”. In addition to performances and photoshoots, Tamandua offers classes for groups or couples in Berlin. It also provides online mentoring for students looking to advance their Shibari / Kinabaku practice. Students of all levels are welcome
You can find its prices here.
photo: Tamandua
Dasniya Sommer
With a background in classical ballet, Dasniya Sommer knows the importance of aesthetics in the practice of Shibari. His approach to the art form is a combination of different styles drawn from over ten years of experience. She also has a small dojo at Uferhallen Kulturwerkstatt where, under normal circumstances, she teaches both group and private sessions.
At this time, Dasniya does not offer public classes and asks students to contact her for any inquiries regarding private sessions.
photos: Dasniya Sommer
Diesen Artikel auf deutsch lesen.
by Adri
January 19, 2021
in People, Stories