Chez Esinem is in a state of chaos. Well, OK, what I mean is an a worse state of chaos than usual. Not only have we just had 28 kilometers of rope just arrive but there are only have a few days till The Love Nest Valentine’s Ball run by those lovely people from Artful Badger. You might have come across them in the woods at Secret Garden Party or the like and thought you had fallen down Alice’s rabbit hole.
An artful badger
Consequently, Nina has been hunched over the sewing machine amidst acres of satin drapes and I’m busy compiling CD’s of Japanese music, selecting videos for projection onto a huge screen, making lists and floor plans. The mild sense of panic that ensued after Murakawa had to pull out to care for his ailing mother is now receding as we have pulled in the BOUND team to help out. With assistance, the image in my mind of a bare and empty room has been replaced by our vision of a sumptuous Shibari Room draped in muted shades of gold and silver satin, decorated with bamboo, Japanese artefacts and screens, kimono and pictures. In addition, there’s video wall and, of course, a stage for shows throughout the night star acts from BOUND and the internationally acclaimed London Festival of the Art of Japanese bondage including Jack The Whipper & Zahara, Nina Russ, LacedLines, Mo Anytime, Maleficant Martini and others.
Gestalta tied by Nina Russ
There will also be the chance for some of you to experience what shibari is all about at the hands of one of our experts (male and female), some of whom have received extensive training from the grand masters of Japan. Forget all you think you know about bondage! What you will experience will be a million miles away from any mental image created by 5o Shades or ‘top shelf’ magazines. Shibari is not just about beautiful patterns and positions, the secret is the way the rope is applied, which can be anything from softly sensuous, gently but firmly dominating to hard and nasty according to one’s taste. Think of Argentinian Tango with rope and you might be getting warm. Don’t worry, we’ll be gentle and are unlikely to do anything like the picture above…unless, you ask really nicely.
