2017 Presenters
Wykd Dave & clover Lee Harrington Knot_head
The Silence & nano bites Ebi Mcknotty LaughingDragon
GirlOnFire MissDoctor -Chel- DireWo1f linworth l3gato Dr. Shelley
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“Rope is not about rope.”
WykD Dave is a rigger from the UK who has in the past few years been teaching and performing throughout the world with his partner Clover. His work has appeared in Films, music videos, international fashion magazines and even in Paris’s Louvre gallery. Tying models from local kinksters and friends with no modelling experience to internationally known stars like FKA Twigs and Lady Gaga.
His teaching has revolutionized rope bondage for many students around the world as he shares his own take on what’s important to learn and understand about rope. His views are the result of years of experience, analysis and thought after tying, teaching and performing all over the world. He almost always teaches with his partner Clover providing her perspective as a rope bottom and believes that education for bottoms is just as important as for tops.
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Time and experience are constantly changing and evolving his bondage and his classes making them a different experience every time. It is his proud boast to have created some of the most copied rope bondage classes in the world.He has also accomplished the rare and almost unique feat of having created ties and techniques that are now used and taught in Japan.
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Love and connection is at the heart of Clover's rope bottoming. Best known for her rope bottom guide, spectacular photography and beautiful suffering in rope, Clover performs and teaches around the world with her partner WykD Dave.
It is in her genuine vulnerability and transporting beauty in suffering that she shines in performance, in fact it’s the lack of pretence and the genuine nature of her interaction with WykD Dave that she stands out.
She is also well known for her photography where her sympathy for the subject and desire to capture emotion leads to her producing some of the very best bondage photographs and prints to be found.
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When teaching, her knowledge empathy and experience allow her to connect her audience with the subject and experience that she loves.
Lee Harrington is an internationally known spiritual and erotic authenticity educator, gender explorer, eclectic artist and award-winning author and editor on human erotic and sacred experience. He’s been traveling the globe (from Seattle to Sydney, Berlin to Boston), teaching and talking about sexuality, psychology, faith, desire and more, and is grateful for the journeys and love he has found along the way. Lee has been a passion instigator, academic, adult film performer, world class sexual adventurer, outspoken philosopher, performance and installation artist, photographer, kink/bondage expert, and has been blogging about sex and spirit since 1998.
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His books include “Shibari You Can Use: Japanese Rope Bondage and Erotic Macramé,” “Playing Well With Others: Your Guide to Discovering, Exploring and Negotiating the Kink, Leather and BDSM Communities” (with Mollena Williams), “Sacred Kink: The Eightfold Paths of BDSM and Beyond,” Traversing Gender: Understanding Transgender Realities," “More Shibari You Can Use: Passionate Rope Bondage and Intimate Connection,” the “Toybag Guide to Age Play,” and “Shed Skins: Journeying in Self-Portraits.” He has also worked as an anthology editor on such projects as “Rope, Bondage, and Power” and “Spirit of Desire: Personal Explorations of Sacred Kink,” while contributing actively to other anthologies, magazines, blogs and collaborations. Check out the trouble Lee has been getting into, as well as his regular podcast, tour schedule, free essays, videos and more over at PassionAndSoul.com.
Beginning 25 years ago with a mix of flea market handcuffs, bathrobe belts and neck ties, knot_head has always loved bondage. For him it IS about the simple, strict, positional bondage, and “what happens once she’s tied”, challenging predicaments being his favorite.
Although he began with Japanese style rope, he’s since gravitated to the strict, clean, efficient, Western style of riggers like Jay Edwards, Matt Williams, Lew Rubens and Claire Adams. He still loves learning all sorts of tips, ties and tricks, and will eagerly attend almost any rope class or workshop.
The_Silence started photographing his rope work over 4 years ago and shoots multiple times a week. He developed his style through adapting what he's learned in classes, the internet, and a whole LOT of trial & error. From shooting in temperatures of 37 degree to 110 degrees, outdoors, in homes, hotels, studios, under trees and bridges, he has learned how to make any situation usable.
Nano_bites has always been an exhibitionist and quickly found herself in front of the camera after diving head first into kink. Her inquisitive nature & masochistic tendencies led her to exploring rope & suspension bondage 2 years ago, and she's never looked back. Fond of challenging ties & positions, she's happiest when she's leaving sweat behind on rope.
Ebi McKnotty is a rope addict based in Quebec City, Canada. She has been self-tying since 2006, and started modeling as a bottom in 2007. She started tying others and self-suspending in 2011 when she learned with the Ichinawa-Kai and Kazami Ranki in London. It hasn't stopped since. She travels all over America and Europe to learn and share her discoveries with her community. Ebi is the co-founder of the North American Rope exchange, also known as NARIX, a conference dedicated to the exploration of rope bondage. Grounded in the Japanese style, her ropes have been described as experimental, sweet, sensual and sadistic; usually all at the same time.
LaughingDragon has been involved in the rope scene for over 15 years, and has studied extensively with masters from many parts of the globe. He is a seasoned bondage performer. His fast and intense style makes an exciting show, and his performances have become a fixture at many events in Vancouver.
LaughingDragon has a passion for spreading bondage and helping people experience what rope can be firsthand. This passion has driven him to give individually-tailored bondage experiences to hundreds of people over the years at events in Vancouver, Seattle, Toronto and Black Rock City. He also founded Vertigo Rope, a collective of talented rope persons who meet regularly to share and learn from each other and collaborate to create amazing rope events and experiences. LaughingDragon teaches rope courses with his co-teacher GirlOnFire, and he also worked as a consultant to the film industry on 50 Shades of Grey.
GirlOnFire is an accomplished rope bottom, rigger, rope educator and performer in the Vancouver rope scene. She has been an avid rope enthusiast ever since her introduction to it in 2012. As is her way, once the spark was lit, her passion for rope took off, and she has been doing rope continuously since then, continuing to grow and expand her skills. She has attended classes and training with many top rope instructors, and she has done many rope performances both locally and abroad. Performing is one of her passions; she loves to see the excitement it brings to those watching.
As one of the leaders of Vertigo Rope, GirlOnFire is involved in much of the organizing and behind-the-scenes work of running this organization. She also co-teaches rope courses, for new and experienced riggers alike, alongside her partner LaughingDragon.
MissDoctor is a kink-friendly practicing physician who works in primary care with an emphasis on musculoskeletal medicine, endocrinology, and women's health. She has been personally involved in the world of bondage for 17 years, and she started to explore Shibari 2 years ago.
Her experience as a rock climber, athlete, and artist provide her with a practical perspective on both bottoming and rigging. Her years of experience as an educator help her make safety, anatomy, and health concerns easy to understand and apply. She encourages hands-on exploration and helps kinksters develop a more intimate understanding of themselves and their partners.
Kinked as long as she can remember Chel walks on the poly, submissive, sadomashochistic side of the lifestyle. She's a traveler, adventure-seeking experience collector that defines her wealth by relationships with others. As an active participant in the community, Chel believes the power in BDSM comes from the connection between people.
Her main interests lie in writing, energy, power exchange, rope, emotional sadomasochism and just about all forms of edge play. In 2014 Chel began sharing her experiences with others through education that puts emphasis on all of the feelings, laughter and personal growth.
DireWo1f is the founder and organizer of RopeLab, BeachBind, and several rope intensives each year. DireWo1f has been teaching privately and presenting workshops for serveral years at conferences and rope groups including F.I.R.E, MBE, Wristrained, CORG (Central Ohio Rope Group), HighPoint, BeachBind, unconferences, GrUEs, Ropenspace, local weekly gatherings, and RopeLab events. In addition, DireWo1f served as a teaching assistant to Topologist.
DireWo1f has been in the lifestyle for over fifteen years, the public community for about eight, and completely immersed in rope bondage for about five. During that time, DireWo1f has attended as many rope intensives, events and workshops as possible, investing countless hours in rigging (Intensives/workshops include Pedro, Gorgone, Kanna, WykD_Dave, clover, Fuoco, Osaka Dan, M0co & Beemo, -EM- & cat, Lew Rubens, Midori, Zamil, PinkMynx, Lizard, knot_head, Ebi McKnotty, BondageNexus, Laughing Dragon, L00M, OlivaLyon, Sarifka Morgan, Tho4ns, FredRX and Topologist among many others). DireWo1f typically attends at least 3-4 rope and kink events a month and typically practices rope and ropey fetish photography 3-4 times a week.
DireWo1f
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linworth originally came to the scene as an anthropology student, stumbling into the Ohio Leather and kink realm. Since then, as some would say, she has gone completely native, adopting the kink lifestyle as her own. Not necessarily Leather herself (she’s still pondering that one), after more than a handful of years she has settled into her main kinks of power exchange,
energy exchange, and rope bondage, with the occasional bout of masochism. While normally the shy, submissive type, her passion for education brings out her spunky side. Whether teaching on consent culture, rope bottoming, or the safe practice of all things fucked up, she brings a sense of charm and excitement to the classroom.
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linworth is also a proud co-leader of Columbus-based RopeLab. Given the chance, she will gladly talk your ear off about it and all of the wonderful events and work it does for her local commuinty.
l3gato has been heavily involved in the rope and kink community for about three and half years as a bottom, rigger and presenter. She is a RopeLab and BeachBind organizer and she regularly attends both local and national events, workshops, and conferences. Her passion for rope continues to grow exponentially.
Dr. Shelley is a Sexologist, originally from New Zealand, now based in Las Vegas. She lives in a polyamorous relationship and will be traveling with her girlfriend and rope bondage partner Brooklyn. They love exploring new dimensions together. She has a PhD in Philosophy specializing in Human Sexuality. The focus of her dissertation was the “Anti-Aging Benefits of Sex” and her specific research project focused on the Health Benefits of Open Relationships. Her background also includes an honors degree in Law, and over 20 years teaching personal growth, health, awareness and sexuality workshops, plus working with thousands of individuals and couples over the last 15 years.
LadyBase has been practicing yoga for about five years and will be completing teacher training in July. She has training in many yoga styles including Acro, Hatha, Ashtanga, Hot Power, and Yin. She incorporates yoga in all aspects of her life, incluidng snowboarding, climbing, slacklining, parenting, and of course, in her rope and modeling. She can also put her feet behind her head and play her butt like a drum. Just ask.
