Description

The pursuit of ‘connective’ or ‘communicative’ rope is central to the experiences many of us seek in rope bondage. Despite this, connection and communication as concepts are slippery to define, tricky to exemplify, and often tautological in explanation. Connection is not created by a set of actions, by a particular pose, by close proximity or touch. It cannot be prescribed, nor
does it rely solely on instinct. Much like learning basic steps of dance before building to allow improvisation, there are techniques that help us to notice cues, interpret them more aptly,
respond constructively, and evaluate the impact of our actions.

In early 2016, Barkas laid out the first version of the Interview Metaphor, a structure which, among other things, allows those who tie to identify and handle the elements in a scene and
thus understand why certain actions might be more effective than others. This Metaphor formed the basis of Barkas’ book, Archeology of Personalities: A Linguistic Approach to Erotic Rope Bondage.

Since then, the Interview Metaphor has grown and gathered friends – the Archive, Reciprocity, the City, to name a few. Each of these concepts gives a fresh view into how scenes work, how
people interact, how power structures evolve, and what we make of/build with our efforts and intentions.

This workshop series approaches the Interview Metaphor and associated structures chronologically, starting with the Interview and adding complexity and layers of understanding
in the same order in which the concepts themselves were formalized and introduced, making this is a historical exploration of the evolution of rope theory as well as a practical application of
concepts. Demonstrations and exercises allow participants to practice and absorb concepts. As with all of Barkas’ and Addie’s classes, there is emphasis on the education and contribution of
both (all) parties in the scene.