~Limited to 4 tying pairs~

The true power of Shibari is the powerful themes of trust and vulnerability it explores—come learn to make your rope play hotter, deeper, and more intimate in a fun, playful, supportive class with Jonathan & Sappho at Portland Shibari Salon

 In this three-hour class, we'll explore safe, beautiful, and effective ways to move away from just putting knots on your partner, and build skill and intuition for tying the spirit. Drawing especially on the traditional and beautiful ties found in the Japanese art of Shibari/Kinbaku, and core physical partner skills found in martial arts and dance, we'll explore exercises for building intimacy with rope. We'll also learn basic knots and ties needed to make your rope look and feel sexy on your partner, and of course, examine safety issues as well.

People Tying: This is a great class for learning those precise tying and key soft skills for making a rope scene hot.

People Being Tied: This is a great class for learning how to mesh and connect with your partner in rope! Expect to spend the majority of the class getting plenty of hands-on practice in a friendly, relaxed environment.

There is no prerequisite for this course, and it is definitely appropriate for all genders, sexual orientations, and body types.

Equipment & Dress: Comfortable clothing that is easy to move in and snug fitting. No nudity, please.

People Tying will need to bring:

(2) 26' to 30' ropes, and (2) 12-15' ropes 5-6mm in diameter. Hemp or Jute is recommended. It's also helpful to have some shorter lengths of rope in your kit. Need Rope? We have a special kit for sale for this workshop! Contact us for details.

To ensure personal attention to each participant, class size will be limited to 8 tying pairs. Due to the small class size, early registration is highly recommended. Please note that no refunds or credit will be issued 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.