House of Play is proud to present this collaboration with Felix Ruckert.
For the past 20 years, he has been a leading force and inspiration in creating sex-positive events and spaces across Europe. His work seamlessly blends rope bondage, conscious sexuality, choreography, bodywork, and various art forms into a constantly evolving exploration. He is the creator of influential recurring festivals through many years such as Eurix and Xplore, as well as the legendary Schwelle 7 and the current IKSK in Berlin. Felix's work is a big part of the groundwork that House of Play is built upon.
This event is a workshop, it is performance art and a play space, all in one. A place where kink, art and deep listening meets. The invitation is to let go of your common self and become a magical creature, a being that is free, alive and completely outrageous: The beautiful animal!
The simple act of consciously breathing can open a space of freedom, where we have the chance to let go of stories and agendas and focus on just being, only managing comfort and discomfort. As in Zen Meditation, observation of the breath requires discipline and patience. This form of letting go of past and future can help deliver yourself to the OTHER - the Unknown, the Subconscious, the Magical - but it might as well create insecurity, confusion and nervosity. A great start!
The act of listening is a place of non wishing and wanting, allowing the observation of time passing and life proceeding. Life is a good teacher, because it does not care about you. Deep Listening can leave space for your body to activate its own resources, to support physical and emotional resetting and to discover your full potential.
How do we use these techniques in a BDSM context?
Typically, BDSM scenarios and sessions happen between people who find each other attractive and feel desire—or at least curiosity—toward one another. Based on the wishes and boundaries of the parties involved, scenes are then planned and designed that ideally develop into fulfilling and satisfying experiences for all..
However, since all of us are shaped by living in a sex-negative society, by enduring patriarchal structures, idealized body images, and constructed gender identities, there is always the risk that we will merely reproduce stereotypical behavior or become victims of projections. That we go for "what seems easy“. Staying within one’s comfort zone may offer security and self-confidence, but it can also prevent new experiences and insights and, in the worst case, lead to routine and the reproduction of clichés.
This workshop, therefore, attempts a radical departure from identity and inclination, setting aside desire and longing for the time being. Resistance and disinterest are viewed as potential windows into a different reality. We will engage in a disciplined examination of the concrete —such as space and time, architecture, and anatomy— and thereby turn our attention to the “Other”: the necessary, the meaningful, the overlooked.
The goal is to make room for collective awareness and the awareness of the collective: the power of systemic resonance, the influence of outer circumstances such as time and space, the critical mind and the ongoing flow of emotions. We will keep our eyes on every detail while trying not to lose the bigger picture.
The invitation is to let go of your common self and become a magical creature, a being that is free, alive and completely outrageous: The beautiful animal!
We will practice mindfulness, deepening of perception, presence and attitude—which will involve letting go of preconceived agendas and identity as well as a willingness to embrace challenges and the unfamiliar.
For those more pragmatic: We will actually mostly do learning by doing: we will just play a lot: In various constellations, different people, often in trios. In Dominant / Submissive relations, but also in non-hierarchical settings. With different scores and often precisely defined tasks and roles. In short encounters of just a few minutes, to longer sessions of more than an hour. With negotiated boundaries and always a clear exit strategy. With tools and toys, with costumes and outfits. Please bring all the stuff that turns you on….
This event is a workshop, it is performance art and a play space, all in one. The event is part of Felix’ research on the creation of „Magical Spaces“ and you are invited to come and to co-create a touching and exciting group experience, which also will be spectacularly beautiful to observe, if you prefer to stay on the sidelines, which is absolutely possible.
Felix will mainly use his 7 qualities for sex positive spaces to create scores and exercises that provide a field of intense personal experience and encounter. The 7 qualities represent essential tools for artistic expression, but function as well as instruments in navigating sex positive spaces, in exploring physical contact and safely negotiating any form of sensual encounter
Felix Ruckert will direct the weekend assisted by Noemi. See more about Noemi below. (updated Biography will follow..)
WHO IS THIS FOR?
This work is particularly well-suited for all those interested in the liminal space where art and kink meet and will particularly demand open mindedness and courage. The potential benefits are the pleasure of surprise, the joy of adventure, power and enlightenment.
CAN I JOIN AS A BEGINNER?
Yes, you can join as a beginner, however some experience with s+ spaces, navigating challenging emotions and being in brave spaces is recommended.
DO I NEED A PARTNER?
No, you can come alone or in pairs, groups or any constellations, however it is likely not possible to stay in your own constellation throughout the workshop. Most exercises and scores in this workshop are practical-physical and hands-on. In order to provide a non-exclusive and vast range of experiences, we often work with random partner combinations. So there will be both same gender and different gender combinations. Participants should generally be open to working with any person and any body. Exceptions can be discussed.
DRESSCODE
Wear something comfortable that you can move around freely in. For parts of the workshop we encourage you to dress up playfully and erotic.
WHAT TO BRING
Any tools or outfits that you might want to use for different exercises. A water bottle with a lid. A towel or sarong to put under you during play.
TIMES
Friday 19-22
Saturday 11-23
Sunday 11-16
Doors open 30 minutes before, for you to land before we start.
TICKETS
2280 kr for members
2850 kr for non-members
We offer a 20% discount to students and low income. Discounts cannot be used on top of other discounts. Please reach out to info@houseofplay.dk
Tickets are non-refundable. Be sure to read our cancellation policy and no-show fee here
CODE OF CONDUCT
Before showing up to any of our activities, please make sure to read and follow the House of Play Code of Conduct
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Read more about our chili system here
ABOUT THE FACILITATORS
Felix Ruckert
Felix Ruckert is a dancer, choreographer, conceptual artist and curator. He creates events, performs, gives lectures and teaches workshops, often fusing his knowledge from dance with an unique approach to practices of BDSM and conscious sexuality. He also enjoys making music.
He started as a dancer working with several renowned companies (Mathilde Monnier, Pina Bausch’s Wuppertaler Tanztheater) before concentrating on choreography, conceptual work and choreographic installations. Between 1993 and 2008 he created more than 30 evening length performances for his Berlin based company; some of those toured worldwide. He strongly influenced the performing arts by expanding the stage to the physical body of the audience and giving it an active role in his performances. His experimental dance pieces, his participatory work and his choreographies for ballet companies earned him an international reputation as one of the most versatile and innovative contemporary choreographers.
Felix's main interests are the endless possibilities of the human body. He studied Ballet, Modern and Contemporary dance, Improvisation, Feldenkrais, Pilates, Continuum Movement, Yoga, Chi Kung, Kyudo, Tao Yoga, Massage techniques, Tantra, Kinbaku, Choir and Solo Singing and much more. In the last twenty years he became well known for his practical and theoretical investigation of BDSM and the exploration of connections between BDSM techniques and artistic practices, developing an art of touch and a philosophy of sensual communication.
From 2007 to 2016 he directed the art venue schwelle7 in Berlin as a fusion of a kinky club, a dance studio and a private living room: a permanent performance on the threshold between the private and the public. schwelle7 also produced many performances and workshops with Japanese masters and therefore played a major role in the popularization of Kinbaku – Japanese Rope Bondage- in Europe.
Since 2004 Felix directs the annual festival xplore - exploring the threshold between art and sexuality - in Berlin and curates its international branches, with 42 editions in seven countries so far. Since 2012 he directs and curates EURIX – The European Rigger&Model Exchange, a bi-annual festival in Berlin dedicated to the development of Rope Bondage as an art form. Since 2025, he is involved in the curation of the BERLIN FESTVAL OF DEATH & DYING. He also runs several kinky retreats such as KONK and MEGA KONK each year.
In October 2020 Felix opened a new permanent venue in Berlin at Holzmarkt, the IKSK – Institut für Körperforschung und sexuelle Kultur (Institute for Body Research and Sexual Culture), which offers workshops and performances every day.
More: www.felixruckert.de
Noemi (to be updated !)
Noemi discovered Shibari in 2019 and is involved both as a model and rigger. What interests her most about Shibari is the playful and creative aspect as well as the physical challenge and immediacy. Her training as a professional actress and dancer provides her with valuable skills, which she passes on eloquently and humorously in workshops. She sees Shibari as an artistic collaboration at eye level and impressively embodies the active and creative aspect of the model role. She is part of the Rope community at the IKSK in Berlin where she also appears regularly as a performer.