Tsuri Neko MAISON

Teaching

Lessons at Tsuri Neko

We run an open workshop series in Leuven: seven lessons, from your first single column to partial suspension. This page covers what each lesson teaches, how to book, and what to bring.

Lessons are always taught in English.

How the series works

The series runs as seven lessons, each building on the one before. We adapt every lesson to the group in the room, so no two run the same way: some groups need longer on the basics, others move on sooner. The lists below are the things we usually cover.

The goal of the series is for you to feel confident improvising a scene with your partner, on either side of the rope, that includes a partial suspension. That means reading your partner and choosing what to tie next, not running a sequence you memorised. The series stops at partial suspension. Full suspension, with the model entirely off the floor, is covered separately.

Lessons are by donation. We announce each one as a request-to-attend event on FetLife: TsuriNeko. Spots are limited and go first come, first served, so follow TsuriNeko to hear about them first.

Our house rules apply at every lesson.

The lessons

Lesson 1 · Building Blocks I
  • Soft skills:
    • What shibari and kinbaku are, and the difference between lab and scene practice
    • Consent: asking about purpose, mood, limits, contact and aftercare before tying
    • Nerves and circulation: the radial nerve, the inside of the wrist, and the two checks (colour and temperature, sensation and strength)
    • Choosing rope: jute or hemp, 6–8 mm, treated or untreated
    • Untying as part of the scene, not the boring bit at the end
  • Building blocks:
    • The single column, on yourself first, then on a partner
    • The double column: wrists in front, ankles
    • Rope handling: long pulls, keeping tension, controlling the tails, avoiding rope burn
    • Tidying rope away
    • Reverse tension and hitches
  • Ties:
    • A demo of futomomo, the folded-leg tie, which we teach properly in lesson 2
  • Model-side:
    • What being tied feels like, and what is normal
    • Saying “tighter”, “looser” or “stop” out loud, and meaning it
  • To finish: a short one-rope demo, a taste of where the series goes
Lesson 2 · Building Blocks II: Frictions & Futomomo
  • Soft skills:
    • Sustained tension: nerves and circulation under longer holds
    • Untying as part of the scene, not the boring bit at the end
  • Building blocks:
    • Reverse tension, and where it actually matters
    • Frictions: cross, moon and half hitch
    • Extending your rope with a lark’s head
  • Ties:
    • Futomomo, the folded-leg tie
    • The mermaid, legs together, built from the same logic
  • Model-side:
    • How engaging your muscles changes the feel
    • Naming where you feel pressure (“inside knee”, “outer thigh”)
    • Telling “tight but good” from “tight and wrong”
    • Helping shape the position rather than being placed
Lesson 3 · Building Blocks III: Restriction & Floorwork
  • Soft skills:
    • Restriction and breathing: when discomfort becomes distress
    • Wait and watch: stopping, sitting back, and observing your partner
    • Aftercare after restriction: coming out slowly, water, gentle movement
  • Ties:
    • A hands-behind chest harness, and why the shoulder lines matter
    • Agura, the cross-legged tie
    • Ebi on the floor, connecting the chest harness and legs
  • Model-side:
    • Reporting breathing changes early
    • “I can hold this”, “I’m working with this”, “I need to come out”
Lesson 4 · Building Blocks IV: Box Tie

Published soon. The box tie (takate kote), the structure behind most later work.

Lesson 5 · Building Blocks V: Presence & Improvisation

Published soon. No new ties: reading your partner and building a scene from what you already know.

Lesson 6 · Building Blocks VI: Partial Suspension I

Published soon. Safety drills, hardpoints, uplines, and taking part of the weight off the floor.

Lesson 7 · Building Blocks VII: Partial Suspension II

Published soon. Leg uplines, exits, and a full partial scene from start to aftercare.

What to bring and wear

  • Clothes: something comfortable you can sit on the floor in. Leggings or loose trousers beat jeans. Zips and buckles get in the way of the rope.
  • Rope and safety cutters: we lend both for the lesson. Bring your own if you have them.
  • Food: eat beforehand.

Questions people ask before booking

Can I come without a partner?

Yes, for lessons 1 to 3. Ideally come with a partner, but solo requests are welcome. We try to pair people up on the day, and otherwise one of our assistants can partner with you.

From lesson 4 you need a partner. The box tie and partial suspension build on working with the same person, so if you are coming alone, look for someone to tie with during the first three lessons or at our rope jams.

Can I repeat a lesson?

Yes, and there is nothing wrong with a recap. It is worth even more if you swap partners or want to try the other side of the rope.

Can I skip a lesson, or start later in the series?

Yes, for example going from lesson 2 to lesson 4, if you have taken classes elsewhere that cover the gaps. Talk to us, or tell us what you have done in your message when you request a spot.

Do I need experience or my own rope?

No. Lesson 1 starts from zero, and we lend rope and safety cutters. If you want your own to practise with afterwards, see rope and safety cutters for sale.

Do I have to tie and be tied?

No. Tying only, being tied only, or watching are all fine. Every lesson covers both sides of the rope, and most people try both at some point.

Can I take a lesson privately instead?

Yes. A private lesson can cover any lesson from the series, or something entirely custom. Come on your own, as a couple, or group up with others, up to four people. The fee is for the lesson, not per person, so a group splits it between them.

Are the lessons sexual?

No. Sex is not part of our lessons.