More BDSM Beginnings

BDSM For Beginners, Sept 14, 2011

Contessa Alura gave her workshop for BDSM For Beginners, which was very well attended (we had to fetch extra seating

Beginnings… everyone begins somewhere!

BDSM Play for Beginners

The BDSM Play for beginners workshop is probably the one with the most material to cover.  It deals with all aspects of BDSM play from finding people to play, negociating a scene, play safety with demos and a play scene scenario.  Contessa Alura also suggested play kits for both beginners and more advanced players.  These kits should be part of anyone looking for play.  Just a warning for future volunteers in this workshop,  bring some lipstick.  Why?  Well Contessa Alura likes to mark the the areas where the person shoulnd’t be hit .  She had to use a permanent marker on me…lol.  A very informative and detailed workshop.  All beginners and even more advanced players will find this workshop interesting.  Also this workshop was being filmed for a documentary that will be shown in France.

- Gilles

Spanking surprises

   Our new workshop coordonator LilyFrancfort offered a very nice workshop on spanking and percussion play.  She introduced herself since she started out liking to be spanked for sensual feelings.  Eventually she started spanking for giving those feelings to others.  She talked about paddling and using different vanilla implements to do it.  She did a few demonstrations on her slave.  After that she let a few volunteers taste her spanking techniques.  And let others a chance to spank her sub.  A very interesting workshop.  We are looking forward to more workshops with her.

- Gilles

Gotta Whip It… Whip It Good! :P

Wednesday night was the Flogging 101 Workshop given by Contessa Alura.  During this workshop she introduced the attendees to the art of flogging.  She showed different types of floggers and explained the different effects of all of them.  She explained the different regions of the body where you can actually use the flogger safely.  Her demo model that night got a bit more then he bargained for since she used him as a human blackboard and marked the different areas on his back.  I hope for him that the lipstick she used for that washed away easily.  And lucky she didn’t use a permanent marker…lol

   After the theory we got into the practice.  She put some tape on chairs so we could practice hitting the target before trying it out on each other.  Once we seemed to hit the targets properly we started it out between ourselves.  But then it was the end.  Some of us were not bad others would need more practice.  One hour and a half was already gone.  Thanks Contessa for a wonderful workshop.

Gilles, Translation & Mobility Coordinator

Wanted to learn about fetishes? Here it was!

Intro to Fetish:

Clov’s discussion on ‘fetish’ explored the meaning and current use of the word. What is the power of fetish? How and why can fetishes affect us? These are just a few of the questions which Clov explored through examples from history, sport, film, art, and sexy images!

- petal

So you wanted to learn about crossdressing?

Intro to Cross-dressing:

I want to thank the attendees to my first workshop on Cross-Dressing who were enthusiastic and curious on the subject. Cross-dressing in itself is a big topic, and a lifestyle which is close to my heart. After many years, I have finally come to accept that it is a part of me, and a great source of fun and discovery. I showed off some of my outfits too & appreciated the feedback.

- petal, Website

Paddling – Not your boat!

Paddling Workshop – July 12

Wow, what a turn-out! Seems more people are into this that it seems!!!

Even though I was the instructor I have to say I had a GREAT time. I really enjoyed this group of people, they were really easy going and fun and that’s not always the case. Sometimes I rely on my audience to guide me based on their responses or reactions to my questions. If I hear crickets, I get worried lol. None of that with this group.

Also, EVERYONE participated for the hands-on part. EVERYONE! That almost never happens because generally there aren’t partners and people are awkward with being that open with strangers. Imagine, PADDLING and everyone participated getting and giving. LOVED IT!

Just a small note, someone made a comment on my evaluation about something I said that hit a nerve as being an inappropriate us of language giving the kind of space we are at the ALCC… I just want to say to you, THANK YOU! You are totally right, no sooner had the word left my mouth then I realized what I had said lol. It does happen sometimes but I try to be VERY careful about those things so I wanted to say how much I appreciate that you pointed that out. You were RIGHT!

Thanks all for coming!

- Contessa Alura

Learn from others and save yourself from the mistakes they made!

BDSM for Beginners Workshop – July 3

We had a very diverse group of attendees for this workshop. Most actually knew the basics about BDSM but some did not know anything. It is truly inspiring to have so many new faces taking the decision to actually learn about BDSM BEFORE jumping into it or playing with others.

I’m feeling more confident about the direction people are beginning to take as beginners so I hope this spreads lol. In all of the BDSM for Beginners workshops I ask people to pass on the knowledge they learn in the class to others who are knew. To use the theory they have learned in practice to show others how they should behave.

Very few people are really taking the time to educate themselves so the people who attend have an advantage, more knowledge, and a new responsibility to share that with others!

Great questions folks and great answers!!!
- Contessa Alura

Ropin’!

Rope Bondage 101:

Lord Saxnot’s vast experience and knowledge of rope were enthusiastically greeted by a fun group of people in the last Bondage 101 workshop. A couple of us were even eager to show Saxnot some ties we had learnt on the internet… and he was just as quick to show us how unsafe they were! Just goes to show you, you have to be careful. There is so much information readily available now, but it is so important to have an expert to explain what is safe, and what is not.

- petal

D/s Relationships

D/s Relationships Workshop

Another excellent workshop by Contessa Alura.  The D/s relation workshop is an excellent workshop for both beginners and more experienced people in the BDSM community.  Contessa went to great length to explain different types of both dominants and submissive.  Explaining the differences between the different types of relations.  She explained how to keep it going, rules and contracts and many other things.  She brought tears to my eyes.  An excellent workshop.  But it was too short since she stil had a lot of stuff to talk about.

- Gilles