Finally here… BDSM for Dummies!

Our first group was very quiet due to the day being the first lovely spring day of the year. It’s actually a lucky break for me since Gilles found a bunch of typo’s in my BDSM Beginnger pamphlet so I was kind of saved.

 

This new group will essentially replace our old BDSM Etiquitte and BDSM Beginner Safety. We feel a group is a better setting to encourage new people to come and learn about BDSM and share about their fears and concerns or question.

 

This group is for all those new to BDSM or interested in learning more. The first hour will be an info session about BDSM, conducting yourself in the community, getting started at events, what to wear, how to meet people, and of course providing you the basics you need to know about safety and experimenting. The second hour we will open the floor to questions and sharing. The last hour will be for everyone to chat, socialize, and make friends!

 

Contessa Alura

Director of Education

Drop-in Day

We had a very quiet drop-in day this month but justifyably so… what a beautiful day we were fortunate enough to have. I think we might will have to bring our potlucks back outside in the park as I think we are FINALLY getting the warm weather going!

 

Thanks to Gilles and Abbey for keeping me company yesterday and a lovely spring day. Our conversations are always extremely entertaining!

 

Contessa Alura

Director of Education

A Tribute to Great Whip Masters!

It was a very nice turn-out for Master Andre, MsV and Domino. They all offered a marvelous and extremely educational workshop that extended from crafting whips, cracking whips, to whip techniques for players. I had my personal bull-whip hand crafted and custom made for me by Master Andre himself, so I was happy to show it off.

 

I was also impressed by Domino, a whip enthusiast from Boston who came all the way to Montreal to offer his skills. He is a great collector and a great workshop coordinator. I enjoyed listening meeting and learning from him.

 

I’m also extremely happy that a new group has been formed by MsV called Whip Connaseurs – http://fetlife.com/groups/31221. They are only on Fetlife at the moment but a great way to get into the sport of whips and single tails. Apparently there is quite a movement in the US.

 

Thank you to Vid for organizing this event and a special thank you to Conrad and Maxim for their generous offering of the beautiful Royal Penthouse space for this great seminar!

 

Contessa Alura

Director of Education

6 New Dungeon/Play monitors!!!

This was our second course offered FREE to the public in order to encourage more people to be active in their community and support safe play spaces. This of course, was NOT at the expense of our coordinator, Lord Saxnot. Happily we were able to budget $100 to give to Saxnot as payment to give the course, without actually having to charge the general public.

 

The project seems to be working WELL!!! We have six people in total who have expressed an interest in carrying on their training to recieve full certfication as DM/PM’s on behalf of the ALCC. We hope to see them out there in the field volunteering and offering to monitor play spaces all over Montreal. It is also our sincere hope that the organizers of events offering play at their parties will not only accept their cerificatation and training but validate the importance of such training by by starting a standard whereby only people with “training” or “certification” can monitor their spaces…. this I realize is an ideal for the future, but I personally feel confident that people will begin to move in this direction. However, at the BARE MINIMUM, we hope that event organizers of play areas will start to incorporate more DM/PM’s in their spaces at parties.

 

Thank you to those of you who are enthusiasic and ready for real training. We know your journey will be long and difficult but it takes very special people to deal with the challenges of keeping people and play areas safe. We salute you!

 

Finally, I am proud to report that I will be offering our next training course!

 

Contessa Alura

Director of Education

Potluck Pleasantries…

We had another lovely potluck only we are extremly anxious to get them back outside in the park with blue skies, sun, and fresh air. Yes, we’re even fine if the seagulls stop by because we’ve been waiting THAT long ha, ha!

 

Delicious simosa’s, fresh veggies and dip, and always lots of treats to go around. We had some people from the DM/PM Training course stick around and join us for the potluck. It’s so nice to share with new people and hear their stories.

 

We’re all very pleased with how nice our potlucks have grown and how it’s become an important day of making connections and seeing new people here at the ALCC.

 

Thank you to everyone who attended and of course, brought food!

 

Contessa Alura

Director of Education