Finding your true expression in Aibunawa and Semenawa
“Don't make the body do what the spirit does best, and don't put a big load on the spirit that the body could easily carry.”
― Jalâl ad-Dîn Rûmî, The Book of Love: Poems of Ecstasy and Longing
As distinct styles within Shibari, Aibunawa and Semenawa offer unique opportunities for self-expression. This weekend workshop is designed to help you explore both styles from a model's perspective, using interdisciplinary practices such as somatics, dance, movement and others to develop a personalised toolbox for authentic expression in rope.
What to Expect:
Day 1: Aibunawa. We’ll have a look into the nature of Aibunawa. We’ll explore how to foster connection and presence with each other as well as dealing effectively and impactful with shame and exposure. Learn to embody subtlety and emotional nuance in your movements and responses. We’ll also share a brilliant tool to refine your kotoba-seme. Our tying exercises take us from floor work to partial suspensions.
Day 2: Semenawa (Torture Rope). Staying present in the intensity of Semenawa is the topic for day two. Focusing on endurance, vulnerability, and power. We’ll explore coping strategies, communication, how to dance on the edge and we’ll look into the shadows. The practical tying exercises will take us to full suspension where we discover how to channel our inner strength and emotional depth into this challenging style.
Key Elements:
Interdisciplinary Practices: Engage in somatic exercises, dance-inspired movement, and other techniques to deepen your connection to your body and enhance your expressive range.
Practical Exploration: Work hands-on with your tying partner to explore both styles across floor work, partials, and full suspensions.
Comparison of Styles: By dedicating a full day to each style, you'll gain insights into their differences and similarities, helping you expand your expressive potential.
About the Presenter:
Anna Noctuelle
With 20 years of experience, Anna Noctuelle is a highly skilled Shibari practitioner whose journey began as a personal exploration and evolved into a multifaceted practice.
She teaches, models, and performs internationally, captivating audiences and sharing her passion for this beautiful art form. Anna’s background in classical dance and her yoga practice infuse her Shibari practice with grace and body awareness, while her studies in Buddhism, Tantra, and Shamanism provide a spiritual depth to her work.
She is committed to creating safe, inclusive environments where curiosity, courage, and playfulness thrive and offers workshops, private classes and sessions.
She is co-founder of "Embodied in Rope" - a comprehensive educational project for Rope Bottoms and co-host of the podcast "Model Behaviour".
Saara Rei
Saara Rei is a multidisciplinary performance artist, Kinbaku practitioner, and workshop facilitator with a professional background in music, dance, education, and public speaking. Performing since early childhood as a dancer and classical musician, Saara has always viewed the stage as a space for honest collaboration between performers and audience. Her artistic voice blends the surreal, the provocative, and the emotionally raw, often exploring the absurd and the dissonant to evoke deep reflection.
Since 2014, Saara has been immersed in Japanese-inspired rope bondage, both as a rigger as well as a highly experienced rope bottom. For her, rope is a form of embodied truth - an intimate exchange where vulnerability cannot hide. As an experienced rope bottom, she has collaborated with some of the most respected riggers in the international Kinbaku community, shaping her approach to both performance and teaching. She is a co-founder of Embodied in Rope, an in-depth educational project and curriculum designed specifically for rope bottoms. Alongside fellow co-founders Anna Noctuelle and Natasha Nawataneko, they also host the podcast Model Behaviour together, offering nuanced conversations about rope from the model’s perspective, backed by over 40 years of combined experience in the scene.
With a strong grounding in power dynamics, sadomasochism, and emotional exploration, Saara’s work embraces hierarchy, intensity, and the healing potential of intentional suffering. Her workshops invite participants to engage with pain, fear, shame, and vulnerability as pathways to presence and transformation. Through this lens, she teaches how suffering - when chosen and understood - can be a profound teacher, guiding us into the immediacy of the present moment.
Holding a Ph.D. in mathematics, Saara blends academic rigor with embodied wisdom. Her teaching style is grounded, playful, and infused with humor, creating a space that is both light and deep—welcoming exploration, complexity, and growth. She considers herself a student of Felix Ruckert and the Schwelle7 community. And with that, she hopes to carry on the spirit of space she was once part of, sharing the lessons she has learned and the perspectives she has gained during her time spent there.
Cost: Couple 420