Seattle Shibari Presents Shibari 201: Partial Suspension
A Workshop with Jonathan & Sappho

Come learn to introduce verticality, pressure, and gravity into your shibari with Jonathan & Sappho of Seattle Shibari~  

In this 6-hour workshop intensive, we'll cover:

• Safety & Consent
• Selecting Gear
• Basic Hard Point Evaluation
• Body Manipulation & Rope Handling
• Basic Top Line Techniques & Line Management
• Tying into harnesses and tying limbs
• Various Partial Suspension Body Positions and Play

This is the 4th of our 5-workshop series that goes from zero to full suspension.

Class Prerequisites:

People tying should be comfortable tying either a chest harness or a structurally solid gote shibari (TK/box tie), be aware of potential nerves issues associated with rope bondage, and have solid communication skills around same when working with their partner. If they do not wish to use a gote/TK/box tie for the course, it's fine to tie another structurally solid chest harness, instead.

People being tied should be comfortable being tied in a gote shibari/TK or chest harness, be competent in monitoring themselves for nerve/circulation issues associated with rope bondage, & have solid communication skills around same when working with their partner.

Due to the detailed & time-intensive nature of this workshop, one person per duo will tie.

This workshop is appropriate for all genders, sexual orientations, and body types. To ensure personal attention to each participant, class size will be limited to 8 tying pairs.

Please bring:

• (8) 26'-30' lengths of 6mm jute, hemp, or nylon rope.
• (2) 12'-15' lengths of 6mm jute, hemp, or nylon rope
• (1) 26'-30' length of load-rated rope such as hempex, POSH, or regatta braid 
• (4) Pear-shaped or oval climbing carabiners. Your carabiners must be safety rated for climbing.
• Optional Gear: Steel Suspension Ring

Please contact us if you need recommendations on where to purchase. We're happy to help.

Need Some Rope? We have have hand-conditioned jute bondage rope for sale that can be delivered to you at start of the workshop. Please contact us for details. We have 8-meter lengths of 6mm Hempex available for pre-order, which makes excellent toplines and has a tensile strength of 1,142 pounds. —please contact us to pre-order.

Questions about equipment or class prerequisites? contact the instructor at jonathan@seattleshibari.com

Please note that this is a small, limited-ticket event, and no refunds or credit will be given within 7 days of the event.

About the Educators:

International rope artist Jonathan Ryan (Seattle Shibari) performs on stage, ties for photoshoots, and teaches the art of Shibari worldwide. He has taught & performed for sold-out audiences in 13 countries and 23 cities, including Paris, Rome, Tokyo, Barcelona, London, Shanghai, Los Angeles, & many more. 

He has been deeply involved in Japanese cultural arts for more than 40 years, and holds a high-level teaching license awarded to him by Kinoko Hajime of Tokyo, Japan. Jonathan’s personal style of rope combines his knowledge of body movement principles, psychology, and rope art to create his distinctive style of tying. His website is SeattleShibari.com.

Sappho is an unabashed lover of rope who brings expertise in Latin dance forms and a spirit of sensual inquiry to her kinbaku. She and Jonathan have taught & performed together in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. 

Sappho combines a methodical analysis of physical movement with a deep knowledge of neuro-anatomy in her approach to rope bottoming, and loves to share this knowledge with others. Together with Jonathan, she directs activities at the Portland Shibari Salon

For Jonathan & Sappho, rope is more than a beautiful & sensual art form; it is the invisible connection between two people made visible.