SHIBARI KINBAKU FOUNDATIONS 2

FINDING YOUR VOICE IN ROPE /// IMPROVERS

Structure, Friction & Flow

What happens when you stop following patterns and begin creating your own language in rope?

There is a moment in learning Shibari when knots become more than knots. When tension becomes communication, movement becomes expression, and the rope in your hands begins to respond to your intentions.

It is the moment you start to move beyond simply reproducing a tie and begin discovering what you can create, express and share with another person.

Perhaps you want to explore a deeper connection with your tying partner, develop more confidence and sensitivity, or discover the freedom to improvise and follow your imagination.

Perhaps you are simply fascinated by the beauty of Japanese Kinbaku and want to understand what makes it work.

This is where technique begins to become your own.

At Ropejam Studio, we believe that the freedom to create grows from understanding. By exploring the traditional principles of rope, its structures, tensions and frictions, we begin developing the vocabulary through which our individuality can emerge.

In our welcoming community, there is space to experiment, discover, make mistakes, learn from one another and grow together.

FROM TECHNIQUE TO LANGUAGE

Shibari Kinbaku Foundations 2 is a structured improvers workshop dedicated to the essential mechanics behind rope structures and harnesses.

Building on Foundations 1, we explore how individual elements connect, interact and transform into increasingly complex forms.

A harness may initially seem like an intricate, mysterious construction. But behind every shape lies a language of tension, direction, friction and movement.

When we understand the function of these elements, we gain something far more valuable than a collection of memorised patterns.

We gain the freedom to make our own choices.

Following the philosophy of Tiger Nawa Ryū, we explore traditional Japanese Kinbaku techniques through observation, understanding and creative experimentation.

We learn not only how to construct a tie, but why it works, how it responds to the body and how its elements can become part of an expressive conversation.

MORE THAN STRUCTURE

Rope is never simply about mechanics.

Every change in tension, every shift in direction and every movement carries information between the people involved.

We learn to listen through our hands, to notice subtle responses, to adapt and to communicate with greater sensitivity.

Technical understanding allows us to become more attentive and intentional.

And with that understanding comes the possibility of a more personal, responsive and creative rope practice.

Our questions move beyond:

"How do I reproduce this tie?"

We begin asking:

• Why does this structure work?
• Where does the tension travel?
• What changes when the rope takes another direction?
• How does the body respond?
• How can we adapt our choices to different bodies and intentions?
• What do we want to express through our rope?

Tradition gives us knowledge. Understanding creates possibilities. Connection gives those possibilities meaning.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

TENSION & DIRECTION

• Reviewing secure Single and Double Column Ties
• Forward tension
• Reverse tension
• Maintaining and recovering tension
• Understanding how direction changes structure
• Reading tension through the rope and the body

SLIP KNOTS & QUICK RELEASES

• Japanese slip-knot and quick-release approaches
• Understanding when and why a quick release is useful
• Creating secure connections that can be opened efficiently

THE FRICTION TOOLKIT

• Half Hitch
• No-Dome Friction
• Full-Dome Friction
• X Friction
• L Friction
• U Friction
• Half Moon Friction
• Full Moon Friction

Rather than memorising a list, we investigate the mechanical function of every friction:

• What does it connect?
• Which direction does it support?
• Where is tension held?
• What movement does it allow or prevent?
• How can it be adapted to different bodies and structures?

FRICTION IMPROVISATION LAB

This is where everything begins to come together.

Having studied the individual elements, we begin combining them through guided free-form tying.

There is no single shape to reproduce, no predetermined harness to complete.

Instead, we explore how a few fundamental principles can open an extraordinary range of creative possibilities.

You will experiment with:

• Moving between frictions without following fixed patterns
• Creating different rope pathways around the body
• Responding to posture, movement and tension feedback
• Making micro-adjustments while tying
• Communicating through rhythm, pressure and direction
• Exploring your own choices and emerging personal style

Through this process, you will begin to discover how structure can become expression, and how technical understanding supports sensitivity, creativity and human connection.

The goal is not simply to create a beautiful tie. It is to begin understanding what you want to communicate through it.

THE FOUNDATIONS PATHWAY

SHIBARI KINBAKU FOUNDATIONS 1
The First Language of Rope
Beginner

↓

SHIBARI KINBAKU FOUNDATIONS 2
Finding Your Voice in Rope
Improvers

↓

LEVEL 1 /// MODULE 2
First Rope Forms

Foundations 1 and Foundations 2 together cover the complete foundational curriculum taught during Level 1 Module 1.

After completing both classes, you can continue into Level 1 Module 2, applying these elements to Futomomo, Gunslinger and two-rope Takatekote structures.

Each stage builds upon the previous one, developing technical mastery alongside awareness, connection and creative freedom.

SKILL LEVEL & PREREQUISITES

Skill level: Improvers / Advanced Beginners

You should already be comfortable with:

• Lark's Head
• Joining ropes
• Single Column Tie
• Double Column Tie
• Hon Musubi / Square Knot
• Basic consent, communication and rope safety

Completing Shibari Kinbaku Foundations 1 is the recommended preparation.

Equivalent foundational experience is also welcome.

This is a structured class, not an open practice jam.

ATTENDANCE

👤 Solo attendance: Welcome
👥 Partner attendance: Recommended
🔄 Partner matching: Whenever possible
🪢 Suitable for: Partnered rope and self-tying

You can attend alone, with a friend or with an established rope partner.

The principles and techniques taught can be explored through partnered rope or self-tying. Some partner-based exercises may be adapted according to the group.

Every listed date is one complete Foundations 2 class rather than part of a progressive weekly course.

ROPEJAM STUDIO

Ropejam is more than a place to learn knots.

It is a community brought together by curiosity, human connection, respect for Japanese Kinbaku traditions, a passion for learning and the freedom to explore.

Whether you are taking your first steps or developing a lifelong rope practice, we believe there should always be room to learn, question, experiment and discover your own expression.

Our studio is proudly LGBTQIA+, FLINTA+ and BiPOC supporter and ally.

At Ropejam, difference is not simply accommodated.

We celebrate it. 🌈

Respect, kindness and consent form the ground we tie on.

PROGRAMME

Wednesday classes run 7:00–10:45 PM. Doors open at 6:45 PM.

Please arrive 10–15 minutes before the workshop begins.

This is a sober learning space.

WHAT TO BRING

Please bring, if you have them:

• 2–4 ropes of approximately 8–10 metres
• Safety shears or another suitable rope-cutting tool
• Comfortable clothing suitable for movement and tying

Communal ropes are available for students who do not yet own a set.

Premium Japanese jute rope is also available to purchase from the studio, subject to stock.

WHAT TO WEAR

Close-fitting, non-slippery clothing is recommended while learning because it makes rope placement and tension easier to see and check.

Vanilla, expressive or kinky clothing is equally welcome.

Come as yourself.

REFRESHMENTS

Tea, herbal tea and light snacks are available.

REFUNDS

Booking fees are non-refundable unless the event is cancelled.

The ticket price, excluding the booking fee, can only be refunded when cancellation is requested at least seven calendar days before the event begins.

HOW TO FIND US

Ropejam Studio
Unit 2, 7 Fountayne Road
London N15 4QL

⚠️ Make sure you go to Fountayne Road N15, NOT Fountayne Road N16.

Enter through the courtyard at number 7. The metal and glass courtyard door is open.

Go inside and follow the corridor on your right.

Unit 2 is the second door on the right.

There is no need to ring or message when you arrive.

If you get lost, WhatsApp or call:

07772 955 639

TRANSPORT

Victoria Line: Seven Sisters, using the High Road/buses exit, or Tottenham Hale

Overground: South Tottenham on the Suffragette Line or Seven Sisters on the Weaver Line

Approximately 10–13 minutes' walk.

Stansted Express:

Liverpool Street → Tottenham Hale: approximately 15 minutes
Stansted Airport → Tottenham Hale: approximately 36 minutes

FIND YOUR OWN LANGUAGE IN ROPE

Learn the elements.

Understand their meaning.

Explore their possibilities.

Listen to the body.

Connect through movement.

Create something that is uniquely yours.

Because mastering rope is not simply about knowing what to tie. It is about discovering what you can express through it.

Unconditional Rope Love 🖤🪢