Gross Indecency:

Exposing Ourselves Through Rope Performance

with Bondagious & Thumper

2 Day - price per tying pair: 

BOUND Members $325 |TIED Members $375 | WRAPPED Members $425

Full 2 day single person auditor price: $188

Saturday, September 21st, 10AM - 5PM

Sunday, September 22nd, 10AM - 5PM

*Lunch break 12-1pm - lunch provided by Studio Friction

A “decent” person is one who acts according to what is collectively agreed upon, what is expected or ordained. By stepping outside the framework of propriety, we disturb and disrupt the “normal course of things”, we surprise, we divert, we are “indecent”. The intrinsically queer tension this creates is fertile soil for what happens in a scene, on a stage.

What is a rope “performance” anyways? What does it have in common with other forms of stage performance? How do you create something stimulating and exciting? And where to start? Dive into Bondagious and Thumper’s creative process and develop new tools to captivate your audience.

In this two-day weekend intensive, participants will be led to reflect on their creative decision-making processes through presentations, group discussions and exploratory exercises, in order to develop their toolbox for creating compelling narratives.

Targeted skills

• Develop a personal vision of rope performance, with its many possible variations;
• Understand some basic concepts of dramaturgy and narrative structure;
• Acquire hands-on techniques for collaborative creation and understand their possible applications;
• Develop effective methods of technical and creative research.

Cross-disciplinary skills

• Refine methods of communication and collaboration in rope;
• Strengthen general confidence as a person who ties / person in rope;
• Gain confidence in improvisational situations;
• Tame your fear of the unknown and of failure;
• Feel more at ease in front of an audience.

Required Prerequisites & Equipment

You will need a full suspension kit, cutting tool, and any additional rigging/rope supplies you wish.

This performance workshop is aimed at intermediate to advanced duos with performance experience and/or who have an established tying relationship. Previous experience with improvisation (in any discipline) is an asset, but not necessary. Solid technical skills will allow partners to maintain their focus on the play. We will not review technical structures: partners are responsible for making informed choices about tying within the scope of their proficiency.

People in rope:

• an open mindset and engagement to incorporate direction and critique;
• a good knowledge of tying structures and harnesses and an understanding how they react on their body will be a valuable asset;
• the capacity to communicate clearly while under stress will allow them to better explore uncharted territory in improvisation.

People who tie:

• an open mindset and engagement to incorporate direction and critique;
• experience tying under the guidance of their partner is a valuable asset;
• functional exit strategies and the ability to untie as quickly and safely as possible will help further the exploration.

About the Instructors:

Bondagious & Thumper

Bondagious (he/him) snared Thumper (he/they) at a rope date in the fall of 2019, and they have been tying tangible and intangible bonds ever since.

Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the duo has studied principally Akechi Kanna-style rope bondage, from official and unofficial sources. They draw inspiration from Barkas and Addie’s approach to rope as a tool for communication and connection, strongly influenced by the teachings of Yukimura Haruki. With backgrounds in the performing arts, they seek opportunities to surprise and delight audiences and each other, drawing on the dynamic, high-impact minimalism of Tifereth and Nicholas Yoroi.

A shared textile fetish inspired them to develop their Exposure and Restraint: clothing play and rope bondage workshop, which they previewed at NARIX Montreal in June 2022. Since then, they have been fortunate to tour this weekend intensive to rope studios in Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec City, New York City, Chicago, Austin, and Denver.

In their local scene, they co-host Mens Rope Night—an open practice at Tension Montreal for GBTQ+ men who tie men to meet, chat, watch and tie in a secure and supportive environment. This monthly event aims to increase the presence and representation of masc/AMAB people-in-rope.

This fall, they will be headline presenters at Men Roping Men 2024, the first annual weekend rope conference focused on education and community building for men, masc-leaning non-binary/trans/gender non-conforming folks, in San Francisco. 

Important Registration Information: