It’s been a LONG pandemic year and I’m so very thankful to have had this amazing community to connect with throughout it all. Between virtual Munch events, group Slack conversations and virtual classes, ATU has kept us tied together (see what I did there?). And last night -OMG FINALLY – our first in-person Munch in what felt like forever! What a fabulous night! Thank you, Sir Knotty Dan and Renee for organizing our first in-person event after such a long hiatus. It was SO FREAKING EPIC to hug friends again, catch up with people in a way that is just so challenging to do online and meet new folx as well! You helped us feel safe and supported. I’m so thankful for this amazing community that you’ve created and I’m still in afterglow from the evening.

Where to begin, I must stress that this is the only place I’ve found that has done something like this. A place where you can learn a skill that isn’t widely available. But it’s much more than that, it’s a place to learn skills and meet amazing people that have a common passion, and also learning at a pace that you can control. I highly recommend All Tied Up to anyone that’s interested in shibari.

I took the 201 course after taking the 101 course and it didn’t disappoint. It dove deeper into the fundaments that one needs to really lock in your ties, communicate with your partner, and have a deeper meaningful experience with your partner. The soft skills sections of the course such as anatomy, negotiation and intent went deeper as the risk level and of tying increased. Most importantly it forced me to relearn some forms I “thought” I already knew. Although I may have known the form from an elementary level, I realized I needed more work and practice on tension and frictions. It’s definitely a journey that requires time and patience.

The work Dan puts into his classes is second to none. This class was online yet I felt I knew all of the students because of the discussion forum we used for assignments and other discussions. There’s more than enough training material provided to get you going deeper into the journey.

At first I was a little worried about taking a rope class online. After the second class I realized this format actually works better with my life. Being able to go through the modules on my own learn and practice on my time, was a new way of learning for me. Pleasant surprise that it worked. Dan has done A great job thoughtfully curating the most important content and presenting it in fun inspiring ways. Also a plus for me is the ability to go back over and over again and refresh my skills. I highly recommend this class and I think it’s a tremendous value for the little that he charges.

The 201 sequence builds nicely off where 101 leaves off. While there is no shortage of foundational patterns and elements, the real star of the 201 series is the aspects that take the focus off the rope and give you more tools to explore your partners state in the ropes as well as the larger scene the two of you have built together. This is where the many drills recommended in 201 pay off and you get to lean on your muscle memory allowing you to see through the ropes as you try out a number of different scene intentions. The work won’t do itself though, so be sure to earmark the necessary time to get the most out of the course. While there is a lot of flexibility with regards to making up work if life happens and you can always go back to the recorded modules, I think you will get the most out of it if you can do the exercises along with your class cohort.