Miss Doctor & Lilsquirt – Announcing presenter

MissDoctor is a kink-friendly practicing physician who works in primary care with an emphasis on musculoskeletal medicine, endocrinology, and women’s health. She has been personally involved in the world of bondage for over 20 years, and she started to explore Shibari in 2013. Her experience as a rock climber, athlete, and artist provide her with a practical perspective on bottoming, rigging, and self-suspension.

Her years of experience as an educator help her make safety, anatomy, and health concerns easy to understand and apply. She encourages hands-on exploration and helps students develop a more intimate understanding of themselves and their partners. She is one of the leaders of the Arizona Shibari Studio and one of the organizers of the rope convention Desert Bound.

Lilsquirt has been tangled up in rope since 2014. She has worked from all angles of Shibari as top, bottom and self tie enthusiast. Her passion for meditation and holotropic breath work helped create her rope personality as a stoic-transmuter. With this ability the lines she creates between pleasure and pain are almost undetectable.

Workshops

Stop Getting On My Nerves – upper extremity

(Workshop level: L1-3)

A must-see for all rope tops and bottoms! Focuses on practical nerve anatomy and physiology for rope bondage. Where do nerves travel, where are they most susceptible to injury, and how can we prevent, detect, and manage injuries? A detailed handout will be provided for your reference. The class includes didactics and handson activities, including finding your “hot spots” and reworking common ties to improve comfort and safety.

There will be detailed review of wrist bondage and the box tie, as well as troubleshooting guidelines for nerve compression

Stop Getting On My Nerves – lower extremity/pelvis + Circulation Issues for Bondage

(Workshop level: L1-3)

A must-see for all rope tops and bottoms! Focuses on practical nerve anatomy and physiology for rope bondage. Where do nerves travel, where are they most susceptible to injury, and how can we prevent, detect, and manage injuries? A detailed handout will be provided for your reference. The class includes didactics and handson activities, including finding your “hot spots” and reworking common ties to improve comfort and safety.

There will be comparison of different hip harnesses, leg binders, and ankle bondage as well as troubleshooting guidelines for nerve compression.

Circulation Issues for Bondage explores the anatomy and physiology of the circulatory system as pertinent to bondage. Learn how to tell the difference between venous and arterial blood flow restriction and the safety concerns with each. Also learn how to differentiate between vascular issues and nerve issues. A detailed handout will be provided for your reference. The class includes didactics and hands-on activities, including troubleshooting and improving classic ties by better managing circulation

You Want My Arm To Go Where?!

(Workshop level: L1-3)

Rope bondage can put the body into very strenuous positions. This class is designed for both tops and bottoms to learn more about shoulder anatomy, safety, and stretching techniques. You will learn how to prepare for rope sessions as part of your warm-up, how to connect with your partner during stretching, and how to work on your flexibility and joint stability outside of tying time. We will discuss common shoulder injuries and how to manage them. A detailed handout will be provided for your reference. The class includes didactics and hands-on activities.

Tying Different Bodies

(Workshop level: L2-3)

Much of the rope bondage that we learn is geared towards tying a particular “type” of body. Chest harnesses and TK’s are built around breasts. Many lift techniques for suspension presuppose a rigger that is larger than the bottom and presuppose a more petite bottom. Hip harnesses are designed for narrow waists and wider hips and particular types of genitals. People with different body shapes and sizes like getting tied up too, and often smaller-bodied people often enjoy tying them. This class is geared toward understanding the challenges involved in less “traditional” tying dynamics, with an emphasis on how to manage mechanical challenges that may arise. We will discuss ways to alter tying and suspension techniques to adapt to different sizes and shapes and how to prevent injuries in rigger and bottom alike.