Yoroï Dojo

Breathe, change your balance, walk, occupy the space and disappear. Do it with your partner, do it with some ropes, be an organic system : totally unpredictable, but strongly organized! Be cleverly free in ropes.

In my understanding, the main influence of Japanese culture in rope bondage art is the way to do it. The result is always very specific, built around some type of Japanese aesthetic, but how to do so is just as important.
Tea ceremony, calligraphies… All the Geïdo focus not just about the result, but how to occupy the place, and how to move regarding posture… All of that connecting control and deep breathing!

Is it the definition of dance, or is it just a specific dance?

As a rope-top, we develop skills that make us : move, divide the space, and be efficient in our actions! To me, it is definitely a meditation in motion, or a dance.

As a rope bottom we develop skills to offer : structure, a capacity of adaptation, and a listening to follow a creative process! Again, to me, it is definitely a meditation in motion, or a dance.

In this workshop, we are going to focus on common characteristics around that.

Skills required :

For both sides; rope top and bottom.

• Will to work on body consciousness
• Good communication level
• One stable upper body for hard movement with hand in back (like Gote 3 ropes from Kazami ranki or Osada ryu )
• One stable upper body for hard movement with hand in front (Mae)
• A functional hip harness on the side (Like Arisue go Yokotsuri), a functional futomomo, a functional ankle suspension !
• Knowing Yoroï Style and being familiar with, or doing the introduction class the day before.

Material Requirements :

• Kinbaku ropes (minimum 8)
• Blindfolds – or pieces of all-purpose fabric
• Round-ed carabiners(minimum 6)
• Safety cutting tool

Rules :

• Intermediate to advance – Suspension level !
• Being 18+
• To be medically able to do physical activities like; dance, martial art, yoga…
• No Photo/video, nor sound recording. Be present : in the present.
• Full Nudity is forbidden but topless with panty is welcome ! (learn to work with the skin)

It’s a physically demanding workshop. A minimum of physical preparation can help you to take full advantage of the experience.

Hmmmm, why am I taking this workshop for? Where are we going, and how could it look?

Something in between those 3 moving pictures :

Uke : Person in rope who will help me to share my experience and thought

Joan von Brook

is presenter, perfomer, rope bottom, rigger and co-founder of Subspace studio in Prague, Czech Republic. She is a shibari addict since 2013. First as a rope-bottom, but almost immediately started also tying actively. She has attended many workshops on both sides of ropes. As a rigger, she is mostly influenced by Soptik and Yoroi Nicolas. As a bottom, she greatly benefits from her experience with challenging ties, especially in Naka ryu and Yoroi-ryu. Her passion is sharing information about rope-bottoming both for floorwork and suspensions. Has various sports and dancing background, loves to look at body and mind as a inseperable unit.

Credit Photo : Sera, by Yoroï Nicolas – Brussels, Belgium, 2016

So you understand and know some basics? You’re having good fun in practice? You understand the foundations of my style, and you’re still curious about it? Let’s go deeper together.

We are going to concentrate less in the patterns, and more in the concepts. Meaning : if you are not familiar with; Enzo, Gyaku Ashi, My Gote and My Takatekote, Karada, Mae, Teppou… It may be wise to attend this Class first.

Concepts : which one ?

• Posture
• Balance and imbalance
• Breathing
• Continuity and fluidity
• In depth with body management and limits.
• Control vs leading
• …

Every month, I will come with a proposal and, depending of the group, we are going to explore the subject. It’s a very creative moment where adaptation will be a constant quality between the model (Uke) and the rigger (Tori), also between me and the group.

The aim won’t be to offer you a recipe but to introduce my tools and my questions to develop yours.

During the tuition, I will share my knowledge, skills and experience for both sides : rigger (Tori) and model (Uke)!

Specific Requirements // info

• Intermediate to advanced level.(For Both – Don’t come with a new be model or somebody we didn’t train with us already)
• Having a good understanding of my pattern and basics is essential.

Common rules in study !

Please check Yoroï Nicolas study information and website first, to know if you feel comfortable and compatible.

• No topless – for all genders, unless it is clearly promoted (Season workshop and Week-end could be topless)
• Be a Pair/Duo – of course not for the switch classes; One Week-End to Start – One week for switch
• Have your home material – not necessary for the One Week-End to start but welcome
• Arrived between 15 minutes before the start of the tuition and the Start. (Please, not before : we need time to set up)
• No Recording : song, photo and video ! Be present ! (Notes and drawings are accepted)
• When the Educator asks to untie : please start right away. any delay would disturb the class and other participants.

Also, please check the dojo Rules and Commun Behavior and don’t hesitate to ask us if a rule is unclear to you!

How the study is organized ?

On the global point of view : First, we wake up the body, then we add rope to wake up the rope-body contact, and then we jump into the main part of the study. I try to finish with a creative exercise which summarize the tuition. And, of course, there is time for breaks. There is also time in the beginning and at the end of the course to socialize.

On each exercises/propositions : Mainly, the educator shows an exercise and comment on important points. The student tries to reproduce it after. Questions are welcome between the demonstration and the practice and you can ask for help through the practice, both for security as for technical point/inspiration/validation.

On a long term : If you are local, please start by “One day to start”.  If you feel you have a lot of experience, private tuition might work. After, the weekly Group Tuition is the best to steadily improve. Two years and a very committed practice are the minimal pre-requisites to attend Season/Research and master class Workshops.

Fast and flashy results are not what we are looking for. Commitment and deep research are our goal.

Rope Jam

A rope Jam is as much as place to practice rope that a place to meet and observe people. It’s the place where our community is fluidly exchanging together. That’s the beginning and end at the same time. The beginning because often is a good place, to know the Dojo, to know people inside and our mindset. Meet us, feel us and know if you like to be part of our movement. The end also, because witch goal of the study and the exploration if the practice and sharing that !

The Jam is not a plan Art piece. But with the good music, the right people and some discrete scenography is sometimes an exceptional one. A moment by and for the participants.

Please make sure to check our rule before to come and follow advise of more custom participant. We value our identity !

A jam session is a relatively informal musical event, process, or activity where musicians, typically instrumentalists, play improvised solos and vamp on tunes, songs and chord progressions. To “jam” is to improvise music without extensive preparation or predefined arrangements, except for when the group is playing well-known jazz standards or covers of existing popular songs. Original jam sessions, also ‘free flow sessions’, are often used by musicians to develop new material (music) and find suitable arrangements. (Source wikipedia)  

The main Idea is to have the same workshop then Wednesday tuition but condensed for switch also !

More info will come soon

Specific Requirements // Info

• I will present this tuition alone, so I will need volunteer(s) for the demonstration !
• Beginner – Intermediate level.
• the Class “One Week-End to Start” is required before attending. (For Both – Person who tied and person in ropes)

Common rules in study !

Please check Yoroï Nicolas study information and website first, to know if you feel comfortable and compatible.

• No topless – for all genders, unless it is clearly promoted (Season workshop and Week-end could be topless)
• Be a Pair/Duo – of course not for the switch classes; One Day to Start – One week for switch
• Have your home material – not necessary for the One day to start but welcome
• Arrived between 15 minutes before the start of the tuition and the Start. (Please, not before : we need time to set up)
• No Recording : song, photo and video ! Be present ! (Notes and drawings are accepted)
• When the Educator asks to untie : please start right away. any delay would disturb the class and other participants.

Also, please check the dojo Rules and Commun Behavior and don’t hesitate to ask us if a rule is unclear to you!

© Photo Credit : Zeryl, by Yoroï Nicolas – Brussels, Belgium, 2018.

Frankly, you now have an understanding of many plays on the floor and you would like to see what’s happening and how to transfer in almost levitation?

Suspension is not really complicated, but it’s better to already have some deep experience and contact with Kinbaku’s concept. In that regard, please respect the fact that tuition will open on invitation only.

In this tuition, we are going to focus on suspension. My main ones being :

• Yoko tsuri – Side supension;
• Ryo-Ashi tsuri – Mermaid suspension;
• Futomomo tsuri – Bend leg supension;
• Ashi-Kubi tsuri – Ankle suspension;
• Gyaku-Eby tsuri – Inverted shrimp suspension (or face down);
• Agura tsuri – Yoda lévitation 😉 .

From September to July, starting from yoko-tsuri(my base from ArisueGo) it will be a very clear progression to creative suspension. In fact, we will most likely always start the tuition by a Yoko-tsuri. We will of course speak about the mechanic, the risk and the evolution of each form. Depending on the group and the progression, we are also going to present the transitios and connections between each form.

As an upper harness, we are going to use mainly; Gote, Mae and Enzo 4. But we will also, from time to time, present classical variations with other upper harnesses like; Strapado, Teppo …

At the end of this program, you should be able to connect to all the masters and research classes!

During the tuition, I will share my knowledge, skills and experience for both sides : rigger (Tori) and model (Uke)!

Specific Requirements // Info

• On invitation only.
• Intermediate to advanced level.
• Model (uke) should already have a good practice and done several workshops with us (several doesn’t mean one or two). In my style : Uke and Tori develop together.
• Having a good understanding of my patterns and basics is essential.

Common rules in study !

Please check Yoroï Nicolas study information and website first, to know if you feel comfortable and compatible.

• No topless – for all genders, unless it is clearly promoted (Season workshop and Week-end could be topless)
• Be a Pair/Duo – of course not for the switch classes; One Week-End to Start – One week for switch
• Have your home material – not necessary for the One Week-End to start but welcome
• Arrived between 15 minutes before the start of the tuition and the Start. (Please, not before : we need time to set up)
• No Recording : song, photo and video ! Be present ! (Notes and drawings are accepted)
• When the Educator asks to untie : please start right away. any delay would disturb the class and other participants.

Also, please check the dojo Rules and Commun Behavior and don’t hesitate to ask us if a rule is unclear to you!

How the study is organized ?

On the global point of view : First, we wake up the body, then we add rope to wake up the rope-body contact, and then we jump into the main part of the study. I try to finish with a creative exercise which summarize the tuition. And, of course, there is time for breaks. There is also time in the beginning and at the end of the course to socialize.

On each exercises/propositions : Mainly, the educator shows an exercise and comment on important points. The student tries to reproduce it after. Questions are welcome between the demonstration and the practice and you can ask for help through the practice, both for security as for technical point/inspiration/validation.

On a long term : If you are local, please start by “One day to start”.  If you feel you have a lot of experience, private tuition might work. After, the weekly Group Tuition is the best to steadily improve. Two years and a very committed practice are the minimal pre-requisites to attend Season/Research and master class Workshops.

Fast and flashy results are not what we are looking for. Commitment and deep research are our goal.

Rope Jam

A rope Jam is as much as place to practice rope that a place to meet and observe people. It’s the place where our community is fluidly exchanging together. That’s the beginning and end at the same time. The beginning because often is a good place, to know the Dojo, to know people inside and our mindset. Meet us, feel us and know if you like to be part of our movement. The end also, because witch goal of the study and the exploration if the practice and sharing that !

The Jam is not a plan Art piece. But with the good music, the right people and some discrete scenography is sometimes an exceptional one. A moment by and for the participants.

Please make sure to check our rule before to come and follow advise of more custom participant. We value our identity !

A jam session is a relatively informal musical event, process, or activity where musicians, typically instrumentalists, play improvised solos and vamp on tunes, songs and chord progressions. To “jam” is to improvise music without extensive preparation or predefined arrangements, except for when the group is playing well-known jazz standards or covers of existing popular songs. Original jam sessions, also ‘free flow sessions’, are often used by musicians to develop new material (music) and find suitable arrangements. (Source wikipedia)  

Rope Jam

A rope Jam is as much as place to practice rope that a place to meet and observe people. It’s the place where our community is fluidly exchanging together. That’s the beginning and end at the same time. The beginning because often is a good place, to know the Dojo, to know people inside and our mindset. Meet us, feel us and know if you like to be part of our movement. The end also, because witch goal of the study and the exploration if the practice and sharing that !

The Jam is not a plan Art piece. But with the good music, the right people and some discrete scenography is sometimes an exceptional one. A moment by and for the participants.

Please make sure to check our rule before to come and follow advise of more custom participant. We value our identity !

A jam session is a relatively informal musical event, process, or activity where musicians, typically instrumentalists, play improvised solos and vamp on tunes, songs and chord progressions. To “jam” is to improvise music without extensive preparation or predefined arrangements, except for when the group is playing well-known jazz standards or covers of existing popular songs. Original jam sessions, also ‘free flow sessions’, are often used by musicians to develop new material (music) and find suitable arrangements. (Source wikipedia)  

© Photo Credit : Sarura Déborah & Yoroï Nicolas, by Emilio Perez, 2017.

How to start ? How to integrate the group of study ? This tuition is designed to help people to start study with us.

Since more than 10 years, after I came back from Tokyo, I have been helping people to learn Kinbaku, including a lot of international presenters. From my experience, I do consider that the beginning is the more important period. This tuition has been created to help new-commers. In this week-end, I will invite you inside my art and research. Sharing my personal experience and mistakes with you are my main tools to develop together.

All of this will be based on human interactions and the way we share time and space together, more than any visual result.

Program :

• Basic knot (one is enough ) and frictions;
• Rope and Body Manipulation (our style basics);
• One Rope pattern : Enzo, Gyaku Ashi;
• Two ropes pattern : Gote (also call Box tied//Takate Gote…) // Mae (hand in the front);
• How to play and evolve from this.
• Security Guideline (how to manage risk and be ready for everything – our philosophy);

Common rules in study !

Please check Yoroï Nicolas study information and website first, to know if you feel comfortable and compatible.

• No topless – for all genders, unless it is clearly promoted (Season workshop and Week-end could be topless)
• Be a Pair/Duo – of course not for the switch classes; One Day to Start – One week for switch
• Have your home material – not necessary for the One day to start but welcome
• Arrived between 15 minutes before the start of the tuition and the Start. (Please, not before : we need time to set up)
• No Recording : song, photo and video ! Be present ! (Notes and drawings are accepted)
• When the Educator asks to untie : please start right away. any delay would disturb the class and other participants.

Also, please check the dojo Rules and Commun Behavior and don’t hesitate to ask us if a rule is unclear to you!

How the study is organized ?

On the global point of view : First, we wake up the body, then we add rope to wake up the rope-body contact, and then we jump into the main part of the study. I try to finish with a creative exercise which summarize the tuition. And, of course, there is time for breaks. There is also time in the beginning and at the end of the course to socialize.

On each exercise/proposition : Mainly, the educator shows an exercise and comment on important points. The student tries to reproduce it after. Questions are welcome between the demonstration and the practice and you can ask for help through the practice, both for security as for technical point/inspiration/validation.

On a long term : If you are local, please start by “One day to start”.  If you feel you have a lot of experience, private tuition might work. After, the weekly Group Tuition is the best to steadily improve. Two years and a very committed practice are the minimal pre-requisites to attend Season/Research and master class Workshops.

Fast and flashy results are not what we are looking for. Commitment and deep research are our goals.

The main Idea is to have the same workshop then Wednesday tuition but condensed for switch also !

More info will come soon

Specific Requirements // Info

• I will present this tuition alone, so I will need volunteer(s) for the demonstration !
• Beginner – Intermediate level.
• the Class “One Week-End to Start” is required before attending. (For Both – Person who tied and person in ropes)

Common rules in study !

Please check Yoroï Nicolas study information and website first, to know if you feel comfortable and compatible.

• No topless – for all genders, unless it is clearly promoted (Season workshop and Week-end could be topless)
• Have your home material – not necessary for the One day to start but welcome
• Arrived between 15 minutes before the start of the tuition and the Start. (Please, not before : we need time to set up)
• No Recording : song, photo and video ! Be present ! (Notes and drawings are accepted)
• When the Educator asks to untie : please start right away. any delay would disturb the class and other participants.

Also, please check the dojo Rules and Commun Behavior and don’t hesitate to ask us if a rule is unclear to you!

RULES :

• Basic to advance
• Rope Basic minimun : Master Single column Tie, Basic Rope handeling, Tension and counter tension !
• 3 ropes (7-8m) minimun, you safety tools, and some fabric (for blindfolding) for a Pair.
• The Group will Be 10 couples maximums + Instructor and space managers.
• Being 18+
• To be medically able to do physical activities like; dance, martial art, yoga… Kinbaku in fact.
• No video, nor sound recording. Be present in the present. (Writing in a book is Welcome)
• Buying a ticket mean you agree on Rules & Commun Behavior
• Prix 220 euros by pair !

Intructors