Hot off the press! My ‘Man in Japan’, NuitDeTokyo, has just written to me from Kanna’s studio to say that he “looks very much to be at your festival.“. So, pending dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s, it seems we will have Kanna and, assuming his diary is OK for the first weekend in October, the return of Kazami Ranki is assured.
The proposed Festival dates are as follows:
Part A: 1st-4th October: Sensei Classes 1.
Part B: 5th-8th October: London Festival of the Art of Japanese Rope Bondage
Part C: 9th-12th October: Sensei Classes 2.
The Sensei Classes will be for small groups and will be at a separate cost to the Festival. We do not yet know which of Kazami and Kanna will be ‘sensei 1’ or ‘2’. This will depend on their other commitments. We also hope to allot time for private 1-2-1 classes as I am sure that there are many who will jump at the chance to get this calibre of private tuition without the cost of a trip to Japan. As far as I know, Kanna has never taught in the west and Kazami has only held group classes here twice. This opportunity will be completely unique and is not to be missed. As with the Festival, we expect tickets to sell out fast. The last run of London Master Classes sold out in about 24 hours!
Osada Steve says of Kanna on his TokyoBound blog:
“However, there is one person I feel everybody should know about: Nawashi Kanna Sensei (縄師神凪先生), an absolutely gifted Bakushi (縛師) who has contributed much to keeping the Akechi Denki lineage alive. In terms of Semenawa and Akechi style where accuracy in rope placement is measured in millimeters, just watching this genius tie will blow you away. In addition to that, Nawashi Kanna has an excellent read on the female’s heart.
Unfortunately, Nawashi Kanna has withdrawn from public life, which is a great loss. I am not alone in my hope that he will eventually reappear and inspire us again.”
NuitDeTokyou wrote to me about him:
“Kanna has a very structured training curriculum and is a very good teacher with a long experience of teaching, so I guess you can combine a show with some master classes. He is very good for beginners but he is extraordinarily good with advanced students whom he can take to the next level especially in terms of tension. In Tokyo most his advance class students are semi pro or amateurs with show experience. In particular he is the absolute master of figures like teppo and some of its derivatives.”
Well, it looks like we might have surpassed ourselves again if we can bring about his public reappearance.
Unfortunately, the space next door to Resistance Gallery that we hoped to expand into is no longer available. We are investigating other avenues but we might end up with no more capacity than last year. We have no plans to move from our spiritual home, the Gallery, as it creates a very special atmosphere that might be lost in a larger more impersonal space. Anyway, we restyled the gallery for the Festival so much less effort is required to set it up and we can make our own rules as Garry, one of the instigator’s of the event, owns the venue. The event will remain small and intimate with very limited places available, so make sure you book as soon as tickets go on sale. Last year we sold out before we even released single tickets (couples tickets we put on sale first)! We will offer tickets as soon as we get final confirmation from Japan.