Etheros - Rope Bio

BARKAS

In 2013 I met unplanned with Georg Barkas and Karo while staying more than a week in their Vienna Dojo. It was Barkas’ way with ropes and personality that opened my heart for shibari, not as a technique, but in a larger frame. This influence stretched for many years. From Barkas’ representation of Osada-ryu, view on the importance of movement, e.g. Ranboo and the emphasis on rope handling. Barkas’ interpretation of the works of Yukimura and ropes as a language for an interview still today call upon me. It was also Barkas making me clear that for kinbaku in essence ropes are secondary. It can only be a gift from the Gods to start your journey in this way…

DOCVALE

In 2017 while in one of Barkas’ teachings in Paris, Docvale, unaware of my presence, tied in a personal frame his muse Jazz-Velvet. This mind-blowing intimate session touched me in the core of my heart. Docvale agreed to take me as a student. Several immersive interactions at Docvale’s house gave me insight in the Naka style and Docvale’s philosophy of aesthetics, minimalism, the subtleties of his impressive technique and his ways to extending the model’s time to surrender.

YOQE

Meanwhile my model Yoqe became my main teacher. During numerous sessions she guided me in getting rid of barriers and inner demons. It allowed many influences outside of shibari to complement my path and became vast ingredients of my expression. My past in martial arts influenced me to tie in a kata style, with a clear framework from beginning to end of a session. Former work in zen and yoga-philosophy allowed me to get loose from the ropes and tie in trance. I started to practice in tying with eyes closed to give maximum space to feeling and intuition over viewing and knowledge, and introduced other elements in my frame like whips while more and more neighing to a dynamic rather than a static setting.

LUDVIG & REN YAGAMI

In my quest I got in touch with Ludvig and Ren Yagami in 2019. Yagami’s style pulled me out of my comfort zone and forced me in a beginner’s mind. His concept of breaking up a style in basics and decomposing everything spoke to me. Here rope handling, martial arts and eros in the interaction with the model came in a new dimension. It resulted In opening a Yagami-ryu dedicated dojo, Studio TIEY in 2021.