|
Past Presenters and Topics
May 15, 2011 - Presenters : Sara and Ashley Topic : Double Blow Jobs! What's better then a blowjob? A double blow job! Join Sara and Ashley, the famous blowjob twins, in learning positions, techniques and several fun skills for successful double blowjobs. The workshop will also review negotiating, safer sex supplies as well as things to consider when giving or receiving a blow job from two people. Yes, this workshop will feature a demo! If you come packing and there is time, you might get double blown! Sara Vibes, the reigning International Ms. Leather, was born and raised in New York City. She is a black, polyamorous, queer, kinky, dandy top heavy princess. Vibes is a musician, writer, sex blogger and educator in training and a star fucker. She was abandoned in a hospital in the Bronx in the late 80's weighing under two pounds and addicted to crack. She was adopted by a white Jewish women with cerebral palsy from Brooklyn and a black Christian man from Jersey with spina bifida who both passed before she was nine. Vibes' mother was a social worker and sex therapist who specialized in sex and disability. Her book selections encouraged and influenced Vibes exploration into sex and sexuality. Vibes is an active member in BDSM and LGBT communities in New York City and beyond. She is a founding member of Nina Hartley's SexWise.me, a sex-positive online community, and worked as a curator and contributor of SexWise Magazine. Vibes has been interviewed by Nerve magazine and appeared on Reid Mihalko's "Queer, Poly, & Under 30" panel at Dr. Carol Queen's Center for Sex and Culture in San Francisco. She has taught with her partner Indigo at Playhouse in Baltimore and recently hosted "Sexxy Game Night" at Dark Odyssey: Winter Fire. She will also be a contributor to Perverts of Color Anthology. Vibes will be traveling to kink and poly events throughout the year and documenting her experiences on her blog and on her column on Fearless Press, an online magazine on sexuality, relationships, kink and more. Her mission is to make sex education accessible to everyone. She hopes to rip the veil off of the shame surrounding sex and sexuality through self love and exploration with people that care about each other. Ashley aka Indigo is a black poly kinky feminist queer dyke; poet, playwright, non-fiction writer and teaching artist. She also identifies as a purple cat woman and pageant mom/sash widow, as her partner Sara Vibes is International Ms. Leather 2011. She earned a BA in Multicultural Education and Theater from Hampshire College, a hippy school in Amherst, Massachusetts. Indigo runs a blog called Indigo's Theory at www.indigostheory.wordpress.com about her journey through sexuality, Polyamory and womanhood. She writes a column on Polyamory for Fearless Press, an online magazine about relationships and sexuality (www.fearlesspress.com). She will also be a featured writer in "Perverts of Color" alongside her partner. Indigo works as a program assistant, sex educator and freelance writing. She is currently working on her memoir and an online writing project called Brown Girl Love at www.browngirllove.com. She lives in the Village with her partner and their four cats. June 18, 2011 (Third SATURDAY) - Presenter : Don Topic : Choking and Breath Play Surrendering the ability to breathe. Fighting for the last scraps of available air. Controlling someone's oxygen supply to the point of unconsciousness. Predicaments that feel like they really could choke the life out of you. Gags, plastic bags, gas masks, and nooses. For those willing to take the risk, breath play is an amazing and intense ride. For others, it is a reckless and dangerous kink. Let's talk about it. This class will be a lecture and demonstration of various techniques of air and breath control, as well as carotid artery restriction. Safety techniques and health concerns will be discussed in depth. There will be short demos throughout. Don (not that Don) was raised to be straight, but grew out of that and is now queer, queer, queer. He served over 20 years in the Army, which has provided some of the background and skills for his favorite types of play. The majority, however, comes from time spent playing with his leather family. He enjoys long walks on the beach, 80's music, and burying the living. He does not like writing about himself in the third person. April 24, 2011 - Panelists : Ignacio Rivera, Natasha, Goddess Roze, Nayland, Alice Topic : We're Here. We're Queer.... Now What? - A panel discussion on the state of queer BDSM/Kink in NYC The options for BDSM, leather and kink events, education and community have waxed and waned over the years. Come talk about what we've got, what we want and how to get it all.
Our awesome panelists:
November 24, 2010 - Presenter : Blaise Bonfire Topic : Bootblacking Bootblacking is a mainstay of many leather and kink-oriented communities, and an act of growing fascination in others. In this infoshare we'll cover the basic skill set for caring for leather boots and garments. We'll also cover how bootblacking can be integrated into other aspects of BDSM - as a ritual, as a service, as a sex act and as a play scene. We'll discuss some of the different ways that bootblacks/bootblacking are integrated into different leather communities (leathermen, leatherdyke, pansexual spaces & queer communities) and different kinds of relationship dynamics. If there is audience demand, we'll also cover some of the intricacies of bootblacking and veganism. There might be (consensual) audience participation - so please come wearing your favorite pair of boots or leather heels. Expect live demos and hands-on instruction. Blaise Bonfire started in leather 10 years ago with the queer punx of Belmont-Halsted. He's been an active member of the NYC leather scene since 2004. He's left a trail of wet seats teaching bootblacking with Conversio Virium, TES, the New York boys of Leather, TES Fest, at the Floating World. He's boot blacked at Mid Atlantic Leather, Black Rose, Winter Fire, TES Fest, Wicked Womyn (OR), the Floating World and was a monthly bootblack for NYboL at the 9th Ave Saloon. He's also organized the bootblacks for Folsom Streed East and the New York Leather Pride Night on multiple occasions. He's been in 'retirement' for several years, teaching only select queer folk on an individual basis. His energy is currently centered on creating/maintaining his queer collective household (the P. Castle of Bushwick), working with Theater Transgression (a trans-centric collective), preparing work for the New York Queer Experimental Film Festival (MIXnyc.org) and the radical faeries. December 12, 2010 - Presenter : Laura Antoniou (!!) Topic : Too Kinky for Words: Playing Way Off the Edge Everyone loves to claim they play on the edge, or their style of being kinky is somehow greater than the average pervert. Yet even among the uber-kinky, there are those of us who have fantasies - or play styles - which seem to be beyond what is considered "acceptable." Is your kink really "OK"? How can you tell? Are there boundaries to fantasies? Should there be? Should we/can we own our most unmentionable ones? How do you share fantasies with a partner if they make you uncomfortable? This workshop is more of a guided discussion group on the process of identifying, naming, sharing and potentially enacting our scariest fantasies. It's not about being outrageous to shock others - it's about fear of community mores, worries about personal responsibility, shameful eroticism and secret joys. Laura Antoniou is the author of the well-known Marketplace series of erotic novels. She also edited the three groundbreaking Leatherwomen anthologies, and many other collections of fiction and non-fiction. As a presenter, panelist, contest judge, emcee and keynote speaker, Laura has appeared at dozens of conferences over more than twenty years, both entertaining and delivering an occasional verbal indictment. Some of these include Living in Leather, International Ms. Leather, Southeast Leatherfest, the Leather Leadership Conference, and Black BEAT. She has also appeared at many SM/leather groups in the US, Canada and England, and at colleges and universities, including NYU, Columbia and the University of Washington. Having coined the phrase at South Plains Leatherfest in 2005, Laura is a proud member of the Middle-Aged Guard. October 17, 2010 - Presenter : Sebastien and Angel Topic : bDSm - Why DS is central to BDSM (for us) For us, D/s is where we live, the rest are fringe benefits. What exactly does D/s mean? What's the difference between D/s and equality based kink? How can you incorporate D/s into your play relationships? Questions, answers and discussion on this topic led from the perspective of two perverts in a 6+year full time D/s dynamic. Angel and Sebastien came out in the San Francisco leather community and now live in NYC. They are co-founders of Instigate NYC and have presented at leather events across the country. Sebastien is a gender-fucked butch top, a half breed Lakota, a paramedic and a pervert with a degree in Fire Science, a hero complex and daddy issues, Sebastien has been teaching classes/facilitating workshops for the past seven years. Angel has been a professional pervert since 1993. He came out as a leather dyke and is now a trans, femme, daddy. He is an activist both in and out of the leather/kink community and was once called "the nicest mean person I've ever met." As a person of mixed race he advocates for a less white scene for all of us. They teach cooperatively, however it bears noting that Sebastien has worn Angel's collar for the past six years. . .and counting. August 15th, 2010 Presenter : Ignacio Rivera Topic : Front Hole Fisting Fisting can sound scary and dangerous but it can feel oh-so-good. Learn anatomy, benefits, how-to and helpful tips to make it all happen. We will also cover how to stay healthy so you can keep on a-fisting! Givers and receivers will all benefit from this experience. Ignacio Rivera aka Papi Coxx is the creator of Poly Patao Productions. Ignacio is a POC gender fluid Trans-Former, kinky, sex positive sex educator, sex worker, performance artist and filmmaker. Ignacio has been facilitating workshops, doing lectures and creating events for kinky, kinky-curious Queer/Trans POC's and their white allies for over a decade. July 18, 2010 Presenter : Marisa Topic : That's Sharp! Processing Pain From Needles There are many workshops about how to top someone with needles, but what about the one getting pierced? Learn how to process piercing pain, what different kinds of piercing feels like, how piercing sensation differs from other SM activities and why you want to do this. Marisa fell in love with needles about ten years ago. From the first sniff of an alcohol pad to the moment the shiny silver needle slid through her skin she has always been on the quest for more sharp objects. Often dubbed Princess Pincushion, she adores the eroticism, artistry and pain that comes from playing with needles. May 30, 2010 Presenter : Nayland Topic : Notes of a Reluctant Daddy: Ageplay from the "Big" perspective. Being confronted by a partner's desire for age play can be jarring and unsettling. Most classes look at the situation from the point of view of the "little", but the situation can be just as triggering for the "adult", bringing up questions of socially taboo desires, and styles of play where one's partner may be extremely vulnerable. This class presents some strategies for discussing the possibilities and a frame work for find one's way into the role of being "the Grownup" as well as presenting an opportunity to question some of the assumptions about that role. Nayland is an artist and educator, an investigator and instigator. He has presented on kink related topics at TES Fest and Leather Retreat, IMsL and GMSMA, LSM, and Winter Wickedness, and has taught and lectured on art at numerous colleges around the United States, including Harvard, Yale, UC Berkeley and the Art institute of Chicago. In 2004 he was named International Pipebear at Briar Bash. April 25, 2010 Presenter : Yin Topic : Bound on the Streets: Taking the scene into public, undercover. Not all play has to be behind closed doors to be discreet. This class explores the various hot play scenes that can be done in public with discretion. "Invisible leashes", remote control devices, chastity belts and cages, and public power exchange are a few of the fun basics that will be discussed and then we'll take the scene to the edge. There will be a demonstration of how extreme bondage and sensory deprivation can be implemented and taken onto the streets without offending the pedestrians. Yin is a queer, sadomasochistic, bondage dominant. She has built a solid career as a professional dominatrix and couples S&M coach for over ten years and has been an active participant in the San Francisco and New York City leather scenes as an educator, writer, and performer. A few mentions on her leather resume consists of presenting at Floating World and LSM, participating in her Madame Cleo's flesh hook circle, performing at the Black and Blue Ball, and founding the monthly rope bondage workshop, Rope Share. One of her expertise is in extreme bondage and can be viewed online at SeriousBondage.com and DeLanoBound.com. Her leather boi, V, will be assisting. March 21, 2010 Presenter : Mollena Williams Topic : Strong Slaves, Bodacious Bottoms & Ass-Kicking Submissives: Embracing Dichotomy Self-identification is difficult for anyone in the alternative lifestyle. It can be even more challenging for people who see themselves as strong in their lives but desirous of submission. There is a great deal of pressure in the BDSM community to "seem submissive," so what do you do when you see yourself as strong and fierce and yet crave mastery and domination? Believe me, you are not alone. There are many submissives and bottoms and slaves who are strong and independent and finding their way through the maze of the Kink Community! This class is an intense discussion of self-assessment personal identification, passion and power. From those who struggle with their desire to submit, to those who strive for greater strength of purpose, this class will be a wonderful opportunity to bond with the likeminded and suss out your strength in an open setting. And for tops, dominants and masters, this is an excellent opportunity to get into the mind of those who are strong and embrace the dichotomy of strength in submission and freedom in slavery! February 21, 2010 Film Presentation - Graphic Sexual Horror Instigate NYC's first film screening and it's a film you can't see ANYWHERE. "Graphic Sexual Horror" is an award-winning documentary about Insex.com, a bondage website that was shut down using the Patriot Act. It explores the dark mind of its artistic creator and asks hard questions about personal responsibility. The theme of consent and what consent means when money is involved is central. Stay after the film for a discussion. This screening will begin at 5:05 to maximize the time we have to discuss afterward. Thanks to the co-director Barbara Bell for making this screening possible. January 17, 2010 Presenter : Del Topic : Playing and Taking It Hard: How Black is Your Flag? Wearing a black bandanna in your back pocket because you're cruising to give/take a bruising? Do you find yourself holding back in play, not knowing the right way to negotiate your sadomasochism to the next level? Let's talk about edgy subjects like face slapping/punching, deep tissue manipulation, body punching, and other ways we push our bodies to their absolute limits. A discussion facilitated by "2Much2 Bear", Del, a Switch who gives it and takes it as hard as it gets. A great place for "endless bottoms" and "rough tops" to give each other language and tools towards engaging in heavier play. November 15, 2009 Presenter : Laine Topic : A Servants Guide to Being Prepared Just as with the boyscouts, one of the many mottoes a servant should have is "be prepared". In this class, we discuss the principles of preparedness, working off of the Dominant's expectations, tools in research and preparedness and example methods of preparedness for day to day, cars, special events and travel. Handouts of sample checklists and planning methods will be provided, but the focus is on building a mindset and skills to allow one to prepare for situations that may come up in service. Laine has been involved in the D/s and M/s community since 1996 when she began exploring submission and surrender. Since then, she has had the privilege of serving as a submissive, servant and service slave in contracts ranging from short term to multi-year. Currently in a year of personal reflection and growth, Laine has left San Francisco and travels extensively. She keeps her home base in New York City, close to her Leather Family: Sovereign House, where she functions as Family Majordomo. Laine's love of service is an expression of her spirit, heart and soul. While expressing this, she has had the chance to train in and focus on the roles of domestic servant, chauffeur, cook, companion, ladies maid, butler and majordomo. Laine also has a great love of etiquette, service hierarchies, formal protocols, cigars, wine, and food. Power fluid, and gender fluid, Laine also enjoys being a Daddy to special little girls, and is enjoying her dominant side as well as the occasional, shockingly vanilla romantic date. Self-mastery, presence, spiritual leather and living with integrity are her aspirations and touchstones. October 18, 2009 Presenter : Seraphin Topic : Who Are You & What Do You Want? - The Bottoming A-Z Survival Guide You're a Bottom. What does that mean? The answer to that question isn't simple. Who you are as a bottom and what you want can only be defined by you. The possibilities are limitless. What turns you on? What terrifies you? What turns you on because it terrifies you? What qualities are you overlooking in yourself that help to make you a great bottom? Exploring/Examining your desires will help you identify what you want, need & how to pursue the dynamics, play & scenes that fit you. Are you brand new? Or, do you feel like you've seen & done it all? Thinking about what really does it for you & what makes you unique can kick start & give direction to your explorations. It can also help you to remember what it is about bottoming that turns you on in the first place. Come ready to think, learn, question & share. We'll touch on topics including identity, physical do's & don'ts, processing pain, edge play & situations such as - "when you thought it'd be hot, but its not". It's all about getting where you want to go & what to do once you get there. Seraphin is a NYC based queer switch masochist & occasional sadist experienced in numerous permutations of bottoming. She has served as Programming Co-Chair for LSM and has been a member of TES, MAST & NCSF. She has co-presented, assisted and demoed alongside some of the best and brightest at events such as South Plains, Pacific Friction, TES Fest, Floating World, Boston Fetish Flea & Dark Odyssey. After years of contributing her bottoming perspective to numerous presentations and pushing the limits of extreme play publicly, she's now most often found behind the scenes. Seraphin has served as a consultant for various media pieces on alternative sexuality and is co-founder of the LGBTQ booking agency, PhinLi Bookings. August 16, 2009 Presenter : Goddess Roze Topic : Heart of Darkness: The Art of Sensory Deprivation
Silent, restrained and suspended in time. Head swathed in black leather, ears deaf to all but their heartbeat - throbbing with anticipation! What's next? I can't hear it! The lash lands. I can't see it! The prick of a needle. Where did that come from? Flames lick the flesh. Oh my God! Sensory deprivation is the limiting or completely depriving a subject of the use of one or more of their senses. By doing so, you can increase sensitivity to physical stimulation. Goddess Roze will delve into this delectable topic showing and demonstrating a variety of devices and methods to create intense play and tap into the heart of darkness.
A native New Yorker, this afro wearin' tattooed Goddess has been involved in the East Coast scene for 15 years. She is also a lover of opulence, pleasure and artistic expression, with a voracious appetite for learning, great conversation and all manner of delicious deviancy. Goddess Roze is a founding Mother of ONYX-Pearls Northeast, past officer of MAsT Metro New York and Board Member of New York Leather Weekend and East Coast Leather Town Hall. Goddess Roze has presented at The Eulenspiegel Society (TES) and Floating World 2. Never too shy to share her point of view, Goddess Roze has also participated in the People of Color Forum at TES, the East Coast Leather Town Hall BDSM Community Forum, a Master class on Human Sexuality at Rutgers University, Conversio Virium at Columbia University, Long Island Leather N Roses, Lesbian Sex Mafia, Knot for Everyone, TESfest and APex Summer Bash.
July 19, 2009
Presenter : Corey Alexander
Topic : Stone Sex and Kink
Many queers (particularly transfolks and dykes) identify as stone, and mean many different things by it. Stone is often characterized as an absence, a loss, a wall. This interactive workshop/discussion focuses on the challenges and the pleasures of stone sexuality, while honoring the complexities that we may bring to stone identities, bodies, genders, emotions, and sexualities.
Corey Alexander is an NYC based FTM kink educator and writer. He was the founding facilitator of the Queer Special Interest Group at The Eulenspiegal Society. He has been in the public scene since 2000, and a kink educator since 2003. He writes queer BDSM erotica under the nom de plume Xan West, and his story "First Time Since" recently won honorable mention for the 2008 National Leather Association John Preston Short Fiction Award. He has been a professional teacher/trainer for over ten years, and has taught locally at TES, LSM and Conversio Virium, and at kink and queer events like The Floating World, TESFest, NOLOSE, Forge Forward, New Jersey Leather Weekend, and TNG3.
June 20, 2009
Presenter : Ignacio Rivera
Topic : Explore Your G Spot and Female-Bodied Ejaculation
Looking for the all-over orgasm? Whether you are just getting started or a G-spot pro this class will provide you with tips and techniques to expand your orgasm both with your partner and on your own. For years the existence of the G-spot has been rejected, while some have hailed it as the ultimate pleasure center; come find out what all the buzz is about!
Ignacio Rivera aka Papi Coxx (porn name) and pet (scene name) is the creator of Poly Patao Productions. Ignacio is a POC gender fluid Trans-Former, kinky, sex positive sex educator, sex worker, performance artist and filmmaker. Ignacio has been facilitating workshops, doing lectures and creating events for kinky, kinky-curious Queer/Trans POC and their white allies for over a decade.
May 17, 2009
Presenter : Erin Houdini
Topic : Cheap and Easy - Rope Bondage for Everyone
Erin Houdini will show us how to get the most out of your rope ties in this informal hands-on workshop. Tired of having to choose whether your bondage gets to be secure, comfortable, or pretty? Learn to do it all in an environment where showing how is more important than showing off. We'll teach you how to "build" a tie for the entire body, step-by-step, using only a few simple techniques and concepts. Bring your rope or play with ours. No experience or knots required!
Presenters : Angel and Sebastien
Topic : Knives, Needles and other Sharp, Shiny Things
In this class we will share the knowledge gained by Angel as a professional body piercer and Sebastien as a paramedic, as well as from more than a decade as aficionados of all things that cut and pierce. We will teach proper technique and safety as well as give ideas for hot ways in which to use your new knowledge. Lots of demo, bring your own sharps if you can!
|