The dates for this workshop are 17 and 24 May. Tickets are only available for both days and you are expected to attend each date. You cannot buy separate tickets and there won’t be any catch-up possibilities.

 

This is the fourth part in my self-tying series: Suspensions. 

 

Why selftying?
Self-tying offers a valuable way to explore rope without relying on a partner, while receiving direct feedback from your own body and discovering what works best for you. It allows you to explore at your own pace and to work in a fully autonomous way. Learning opportunities are still limited for people without a tying partner, those who choose to work solo, those who want to better understand their own body in rope, and those who want to feel the direct effects rope has on a body. This workshop aims to help fill that gap.

 

Teacher
@Lokka (she/her) is a Hilversum-based rope teacher who has hosted the @AlmeerseRopeJam for four years. As a rigger, selftyer, and model, she brings multiple perspectives into her teaching. Her style is mostly improvised, supported by a strong technical foundation. While she primarily selfties for practical reasons, her approach also touches on its emotional depth.

 

In selftying, Lokka enjoys challenging herself with shapes that seem impossible to achieve alone, and finding ways to make them work anyways. She explores the capabilities of her body and mind, often discovering creative tricks she might not have considered when tying with a partner. 

 

Location
The venue is in Hilversum of which you will get the address of once you have bought a ticket. Parking can be a bit hard, as the reviews of the parking garage closest by are not good and better ones are at an 8 minutes walk. Hilversum Station is also 10 minutes away by foot.

 

When you arrive at the building, the entrance is near the bike parking. The door is locked, so someone will be awaiting you there. 

 

We truly love the new space, it has an amazing layout. The downside however is that the space is located at the **5th floor** and there is **NO LIFT**, making the venue quite inaccessible. The spiral staircase has some space to rest in between floors if needed.

 

The temperature in the space can be a bit hard to manage, so it would be wise to bring both warm and cold clothing. Mats are provided.

 

For whom
This course is intended for selftyers with substantial experience in rope and suspension who are ready to take their self suspension practice to the next level. It is designed for those who want to refine their decision-making, manage load in more complex situations, and work more creatively with their existing knowledge. The course is best suited for people who already understand how their body and mind respond to self suspension and who are able to continue making responsible choices while under load.

 

To help you determine whether this course is a good fit for you at this moment, please read the requirements and tickets sections carefully for more detailed information.

 

Content
Amongst other things, we will dive into a range of self suspension topics that build on existing skills and structures, with a strong focus on decision making, adaptability, and sustainability. This will include:

-    Suspensions without relying on quick escapes such as placing a foot on the ground;
-    Tying off uplines on the body instead of on the upline;
-    Building and managing uplines from the back;
-    Reusing cuffs and structures;
-    Exploring dynamic movements.

 

Safety considerations are deeply integrated throughout the course. 

 

The workshop will be taught in English unless all participants speak Dutch.

 

Requirements
Structure Requirements
You should be able to reliably and consistently tie suspendable structures, including a form of:

-    Hip harness;
-    Chest harness with shoulder straps;
-    Ashi-shibari (calf binder);
-    Gunslinger;
-    Futomomo;
-    Booty basket (with a cinch between the legs).

 

Of course not every structure works equally well for every body. If one (or more) of the listed structures is not suitable for you, we will look together for an alternative (if possible). The expectation remains that you understand the structures you use, and are able to work with them independently.

 

Ideally, you are able to perform lock-offs on a ring, bamboo, and at the bottom blind, while maintaining safety and control. Your upline lock-offs should be fully integrated into your system, just like your structural technical skills – not just memorized.

 

Equipment Requirements
-    At least eight lengths of rope (preferably natural fiber and ideally also some shorter and longer pieces);
-    A suspension ring or set of carabiners (4+);
-    Pre: a sling to lower your hardpoint

Other Requirements
Beyond technical skill, you need lived experience with self suspension. This includes:

-    Having done several simple and successful self suspensions (and preferably also some that were less successful);
-    Noticing when your mental clarity or physical capacity decreases and responding to this in a responsible way;
-    Being able to make responsible decisions while suspended;
-    Being able to spot responsibly for another selftyer.

 

Schedule
For each date this is the schedule:

-    11:00 Door opens
-    11:30 Start tuition
-    2x 30 minutes break (roughly 13:30 – 14:00 and 15:30 – 16:00)
-    17:30 End tuition

 

At 11:30 the tuition actually starts, so be on time (keeping in mind the stairs). If for whatever reason you’ve been delayed, send a message to @Lokka before 11:30 so that she can take this into account. 

 

Tickets
There are 6 tickets available for this workshop, priced at €200 per person. There are also supporteR (€225) and supporteD (€150) tickets available. Because of the supporteR tickets, the supporteD tickets are possible. 

 

Tickets are allocated with care to ensure that this course is, at this moment, a responsible and supportive learning environment – for you, for Lokka, and for the group. Being interested in the topic or having taken related workshops does not automatically mean this workshop is the right next step.

 

Tickets may be offered based on one or more of the following:

-    Participation in Lokka’s selftying series (Basics – Structures – Uplines);
-    A conversation or written piece focused on self-assessment reflecting on skills, experience, and personal limits;
-    Live observation with the possibility of asking questions afterwards;
-    Lokka knowing your current level/skills.

 

Not being offered a ticket is not a rejection nor a statement about ability or potential. It simply means that this specific course is not the most responsible next step right now.

 

If you would like to apply for a ticket or discuss whether this course might be a good fit for you, please send a message to @Lokka.

 

Food/drinks
There will be coffee and tea available and some (vegan) cookies. Feel free to bring your own. There is no lunch provided, but you can bring your own to eat in the breaks.

 

Rules
See these rules that apply during this event. By attending this event you agree to these rules.

 

Find this event and more rope events @RopeEventsNL <3