When: Saturdays from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, starting on January 28, 2012
Where: Om Culture in Wallingford
Cost: $300 / person, $500 / couple
Pre-registration required. This class currently has a waitlist: please contact us
if you're interested in being added to it.
Check out the FetLife event or the poster
Suspension bondage is one of the most beautiful and engaging forms of BDSM. From traditional Japanese styles to wildly kinetic fusion styles, suspension bondage is dramatic, exhilarating, and visually stunning. It's also technically demanding and potentially dangerous when performed incorrectly. For that reason, suspension bondage is rarely taught in public classes.
Intended for serious beginners as well as experienced riggers looking to improve their mastery, this in-depth class will give you the skills you need to confidently and safely suspend your partner. We believe this is the most in-depth and rigorous suspension class offered to the general public.
About this class
In 2008, Suspended Animation decided that we needed more riggers with the skills to perform suspension bondage under the demanding conditions we encounter at Burning Man. With that in mind, we put together an in-depth training program for our crew. That program was a huge success, and gave many of our current riggers their start.
We've substantially overhauled and expanded our curriculum, and are excited to be offering our suspension class to the public for the first time. Because of the highly technical and demanding nature of suspension bondage, we're presenting the class as a series rather than a single session. The series will consist of six 3 hour hands-on class sessions plus five 2 hour supervised practice sessions, for a total of 28 hours of training.
Logistics
Class fees
Class fees are $300 / person or $500 / pair, payable at the first class. To sign up or for more information, please email info@suspendedanimationcrew.com. We're happy to offer gift certificates if you'd like to give class tuition as a gift.
Attendance and make-up sessions
We ask that students make a serious effort to attend all classes and as many practice sessions as possible: suspension bondage is a demanding art, and requires a serious commitment to master. However, we understand that it may not be possible for everyone to attend every session. We'll be using the practice sessions to make up material with students who missed the previous class session. We'll also be attending Bondage Is The Point at the CSPC and are happy to help students with practice and make-up at that time.
Max and Russell are presenting their excellent Topping To The Next Level series on February 11 2012 and March 11 2012, which conflicts with two of our practice sessions. We understand that some students may wish to attend those classes, and will work with them to make sure they don't miss any material.
While we encourage you to attend with a partner, it's not required.
Venue
We're holding the class at Om Culture in Wallingford, right by Gasworks Park. It's a gorgeous space, and we're delighted to be able to use it. We'll have plenty of room to spread out, and enough hardpoints that each two people will have their own.
Required equipment
You'll need your own suspension equipment to take this class. For pointers, please take a look at our guide to suspension gear, which includes a shopping list for the class. Twisted Monk is offering a special package of rope for students of our class.
Class schedule and curriculum
The class will meet Saturday afternoons beginning on Saturday, January 28. Classes will run from 1:00 to 4:00 and practice session will run from 1:00 to 3:00. We'll skip March 24 and March 31. Here's the tentative schedule and curriculum:
January 28: Class 1 (Foundational skills)
- Series overview
- Suspension gear overview
- Two half hitches
- Top rig 1: the basic rig
- Vertical lines 1: attaching and securing
- Vertical lines 2: working with vertical lines
- Practice working with gear bags
February 4: Class 2 (Introduction to suspension)
- Overview of a face-down suspension
- Safety 1: technical issues
- Chest harness
- Hip harness
- Thigh and ankle harness
- Simple suspension practice
February 11: Practice 1
February 18: Class 3 (Core skills)
- Safety 2: medical issues
- Top rig 2: advanced top rigs
- Vertical lines 3: variations
- Chest harness variations
- Supporting the head
- Suspension with safety drills
February 25: Practice 2
March 3: Class 4 (Variations)
- Play styles
- The face-up suspension
- Ladders and fans
- Sideways suspensions
- Swivels
March 10: Practice 3
March 17: Class 5 (More variations)
- Safety 3: soft issues
- Negotiation
- Seated suspension
- Changing positions
- Getting kinetic
April 7: Practice 4
April 14: Class 6
- Hip harness variations
- Block and tackle
- The Brother Tiger inversion harness
- Inversion
- Hardpoint assessment and improvised rigging
April 21: Practice 5
Questions? Give us a yell