Make It Intense — Head, Neck, Breath with Saara Tsuru (from improver)

Doors open: 6:30PM

How far can you go when the rope gets difficult?

Intensity in rope isn't simply about more pain, tighter rope or more dramatic shapes. It's about learning how to stay present when things become challenging — and discovering what happens between you when you reach the edges of your comfort zone.

In this workshop, we'll explore ways to deliberately create challenge, intensity and surrender, while developing the communication and awareness needed to navigate those moments together.

We'll work with a range of exercises exploring:

• mutual boundaries and how they can shift
• trust and surrender
• verbal and non-verbal communication
• discomfort, challenge and predicament
• maintaining connection when things become intense
• expressing desires and boundaries clearly
• reading your partner and responding to their signals
• staying present rather than simply enduring
• techniques, risk awareness and safety considerations

We will work with head and neck ties, breath restriction and predicament-based exercises, with careful attention to technique, communication and risk management.

There will be plenty of time to experiment, observe and reflect rather than simply learning a sequence of techniques. Models will have the opportunity to explore how they can communicate what they want, establish their limits and experiment with surrender, while riggers will develop their ability to create intensity without losing awareness of their partner.

This is an opportunity to explore the edge between control and surrender, comfort and challenge, intention and response — and to find out what intensity means for you.

Improver

You've got the basics under your hands and you're ready to build on them.

Where you might be coming from Something equivalent to:

• Studio Ma Foundational Course I: Earth
• Anatomie Studio Discover Shibari Series — Course I
• a similar beginner-level course

For riggers You should:

• understand basic rope handling
• be familiar with the Single Column Tie (SCT)
• be familiar with the Double Column Tie (DCT)
• be able to tie at least one upper body harness
• be able to tie at least one lower body harness
• have basic partner communication skills

For models You should:

• be comfortable being tied for extended periods
• understand basic rope communication
• be able to communicate comfort and discomfort
• have a basic awareness of circulation-related concerns
• be able to stay aware of your body while being tied
• be comfortable giving feedback to your partner

Come prepared to challenge yourself, communicate clearly and discover what happens when you make it intense.

About the Educator:
Saara Tsuru is a Finnish artist, performer, and kinbaku instructor living in the countryside among forests, family, and animals. Grounded, brave, and vividly intuitive, she carries the presence of a modern-day viking woman. As co-owner of Kakumei Kan in Helsinki, her rope practice unites the raw instinct of nature with the refined precision of traditional kinbaku.

Tickets are non-refundable, as once they’re sold we often have a waiting list and are happy to help contact those guests to assist with reselling where possible🎟️💛. For our regularly occurring classes, we’re also very happy to rebook your ticket for a different date when needed 📅✨