Stockroom University is starting 2016 in the best way we can imagine: With not one but two workshops by the acclaimed sex educator Midori. This Saturday, she comes to Los Angeles to take on the physical and psychological elements of kink alike with a double bill of The Elegant Whip: Amazing Hands-On Flogging Training and How to Create Amazing Scenes: Get Into Their Heads.
Many people first became familiar with Midori as one of the leading educators about rope play. Her 2002 book The Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage remains indispensable for anyone interested in shibari and related techniques, and her Rope Dojo intensive workshops continue to be in high demand, as do her Forte Femme workshops for female dominants.
As this pair of workshops shows, though, she’s one of the most articulate and widely-knowledgeable educators in the field, and her knowledge goes far beyond rope and domination. Her books include Wild Side Sex: The Book of Kink (Available from The Stockroom’s publishing arm, Daedalus), Master Han’s Daughter: True Tales From Depraved Neo-Tokyo, The Toybag Guide to Foot & Shoe Worship, and you can buy her video Midori’s Expert Guide to Sensual Bondage in The Stockroom’s online store. We’re very proud to be starting out the year with her. She gave us a few sneak peaks of what she’ll be teaching this Saturday.
Hey Midori! We’re excited to have you back for two amazing classes this Saturday. This is a great double bill. But tell us, why these two classes together?
Thanks! I’m looking forward to returning. I just love that huge class space! Both of these classes are great stand-alone experience to heat up your play. But together, they absolutely set you up for making fireworks happen in your kinky play time!
See, there’s plain-old-stereotype pedestrian whacking with whips — and then there’s the way of flogging to make ecstasy, lust and sparks fly. So many people just use the whip like a blunt instrument. It’s actually full of fluid and sensual potential to actualize your desired erotic state. In this class we explore so many of the nuanced physical techniques in simple steps designed to quickly build up to your technical proficiency.
But technical proficiency is just a small part of creating mind-blowing scenes. It’s about truly understanding the desires, spoken and unspoken, for all the lovers involved. If you just settle for ordinary negotiations, or guessing games of desires, you’re just going to get ordinary ho-hum experiences. You want amazing? You need amazing mind tools to construct your experience together!
What’s hot about flogging? Why are people into it?
There are so many reasons why! Each person has their own favorite turn-ons about what makes a flogging so much fun. I can’t list all of them, but here are a few.
First, it feels good. Some people might assume it hurts – but that’s like saying massage could hurt. It’s so like a massage. Some people like it sensual and others like it deep.
Second, a flogging or a flogger, even if just visually present, is often a key prop to a fantasy role play game.
Third, it can fire up the sex neuro systems! A rhythmic warming of the butt does get the juices flowing for so many.
What’s the first thing you’d tell someone who wants to try out flogging?
Find the flogger that matches your skill and experience level. If you’re just learning to drive, you wouldn’t get into a Formula 1 race car, would you? You’d get into a nice solid beginner car that’s not beyond your ability. Same goes for the whip. When you first start out, you’re going to miss a stroke here and there. You want to get a lovely flogger that won’t cause any harm when you miss. I’d suggest something like a deer suede flogger. If you’re vegan, there are many soft fabrics like synthetic suede and velvet that make lovely whips. With the right flogger, you can jump right into sexy play, build your technique and confidence while having a good shag. Total win-win all around!
The class description includes mention of “top-fatigue.” What is that?
If you’re swinging the flogger and aren’t doing it ergonomically, you can get really tired, really fast. And you could throw your arm out. I’m not kidding!
About the “How to Create Amazing Scenes” class: There are so many classes on specific techniques, but not many on how to put it all together. What are the most important elements to start out with when building a scene?
Always remember that the objective is fun – and that you’re dealing with a real human being. A scene is about co-creating a shared delight. It’s just that some people’s delight’s a bit more intense than for others. This isn’t about demonstrating this or that skill perfectly. It’s far better to have great joy and stumble on technique, rather than perfect skill but ho-hum feelings.
This might help… This is my definition of BDSM. BDSM = Childlike joyous play + Adult sexual privilege + Cool toys. Keep that in mind and proceed with glorious wickedly fun play planning!
Can you tell us a bit about what happens in this class?
Those who attend will learn my super effective conversation technique with its flow of questions designed to reveal what the other person really wants. Then you’ll learn how to use that with your hungers to plan a scene where all of you will be happy. I’ll go over great questions to be more confident in knowing when to do more and when to do less of any particular activity. This is like the super-secret special sauce of steamy kink sex!
Any other tips about hot scenes?
BDSM scenes and play time can happen anywhere! You don’t need a special room or dungeon. You don’t even need specialized tools. Though we do like fun cool toys — and I’m so not denying that! But really, your imagination is your limit.
What you need is this: A hearty opted-in full consent from all parties. Play scenes are always an experiment in experience in continual progress. Even with long time lovers, sometimes things don’t turn out the way you want them to. If everyone’s fully into the adventure, such stumbles are easy to overcome. If not, uncertainty of enthusiasm can keep you from playing full on and confidently as you could have. Or it could end you up in situations you didn’t want to be in. So, always, full consent.
Why don’t you need a dungeon? Because, sometimes, what looks to others like a long sweet kiss on a romantic park bench, maybe the kinkiest dominance and submission exchange ever!
We just love you here at the Stockroom and truly appreciate the long time collaboration we’ve enjoyed. When did this all start?
I knew of Joel Tucker from a long time ago when he was selling lovely hand-crafted leather bondage gear on online bulletin board services. We met soon after that at various early kink events with vending areas. I think it might have been a Living In Leather conference. Then he opened the Stockroom. I have taught so many classes over the years… I am also one of the regular authors for Daedalus Publishing, a Stockroom company. My book Wild Side Sex: The Book of Kink is a long running best seller in the catalog. I’ve shot several mini instructional videos — I look forward to them being released soon. There have been numerous photo shoots and book signings.
The Stockroom has also been a huge champion of my work with the ForteFemme Women’s Dominance Weekend Intensive. That’s a luxury immersion training retreat for women who want to tap into their authentic power, from the bedroom to the boardroom. Stockroom is a sponsor and provides our students and their partners with lovely goodies!
We’ve noticed that the graduates that come out your program are a top notch group of confident and sexy women. We know, because we see many of them in our boutique! You lead these in New York and San Francisco… so you travel a lot. Tell us about your travels.
I travel and teach. My focus is on my weekend intensives. Along with ForteFemme, there’s Rope Dojo® – a two-day rope bondage intensive designed for those who want rope in their hot private play. I’m also creating a new intensive, all about the art and nuance of creating the best possible scenes ever.
When I travel, I teach the shorter two to three hour classes, as I’m doing this weekend at the Stockroom. And I coach students privately. These may be in person with one or two people, or over Skype. I find that this is a great way for my students to keep fresh and current on their skills while going deeper in their connection and nuanced play.
Sat, January 9
The Exquisite Whip: Hands-On Flogging
12-3 PM
How to Create Amazing Scenes: Get Into Their Heads
4:30-6:30 PM
2811 W. Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
Each workshop $20 online or at the door.
