Erotic Rope Focus Group, Sunday August 8th

Hey folks,

This is a reminder that the next Rope Focus Group will be Sunday Aug 8th at the Erotic Heritage Museum.

Look for the group inside the museum proper in the area where we hold the demonstrations for the EHM parties.

Ministries are set to begin at 4 p.m. doors open at 3:45.

Date: Sunday August 8th, 2010
Time: 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Where: The Erotic Heritage Museum

702-369-6442
Cost: By Donation

Dress Code: fetish wear is encouraged, please no nudity.

Click Here to go to the Fetlife event page
Feel free to use this thread to look for a play partner and give us positive feedback.


This is a by donation event, we will set up the donation bag where you can donate what you wish. $1 - $20, please no loose change. After the fun all donations will be given to the Erotic Heritage Museum as a gift from Reverse Tensionz.

All skill levels are welcome, as are cookies and brownies....

Last time around we had lots of floor work happening and at one point I believe we had 3 suspensions running.

Also on tap for this meeting we will be starting to chat about the next Rope Social.

Peace,
Mateo

The Cost of Things: a Response

This was originally a post on a local yahoo group, I am re-posting it here because I think it may answer some questions that folks have concerning the $25 ticket price for our events.

Peace,
Mateo

--- In *****@yahoogroups.com, *****wrote:
$25 is way, waaaay, too much cost for a weeknight lecture - which really should really be a "social" with a cost of $10 max, and attendees bringing some treats to share beforehand.

Hi *****,

I do understand your frustration since we decided this morning that we are not going to be able to go due to the price for two, but I think you were are being a little harsh. ReverseTensionz has been sponsoring some really great events lately, and some of them are free, so I think they try to have something for everybody. Unfortunately it takes $$ to bring in someone from out of town and find a good location and sometimes- as in this case schedules conflict or things change and you have to adapt. I am sure RT and Lee Harrington will do everything they can to make it a great class, and I hope they continue to try to host a variety of events.

love & hugz to you,
****

Hey guys,

Thanks *** for the kind support. Yes we are indeed trying to provide a range of events.

This turned into a wall of text, apologies in advance.

Peace,
Mateo

Focus Groups Parties and Socials
The Rope Focus Group will be meeting monthly. The next time we will be getting together is on Sunday August 8th at 4 p.m. This get together is by donation. I put up a donation bag in a semi private spot and attendees can donate from $1-$20, whatever they can afford.

This focus group is a low key chance for people to practice, learn, and share in a peer to peer setting. I will also be using this group as a way to prep folks for upcoming classes that are more advanced.

I have to say the last Focus Group was fantastic and raised a good $84 collectively. That money was donated to the museum, and they were stoked at how generous the group was.

The Social and Potluck is a larger version of the monthly Focus group.
For the Social I usually try to provide a class in addition to the gathering and potluck. The class is in no way mandatory to attend the Social and is just a bonus round for those that choose to attend. The cost of the class will depend on if I am teaching or Reverse Tensionz is featuring a speaker.

The next Rope Social & Potluck has tentatively been set to be on Sunday Sept 12th at The Power Exchange. This event has an entry fee of $10 which will cover entry to the venue, and includes your evening at the Power Exchange should you decide to stay. I am still working out the details with the folks at the PE, more information will be forthcoming.

Food and treats are always welcome at any events. :-)

About Classes:
Way back in the day (a couple of years ago or so) when I first started to study Shibari Art I would take my vacation time and travel to attend the classes I wanted.

I went to San Francisco, Chicago, and even Montreal once for a Midori Rope Dojo.

SinCity D/s, TNG, MAST, LUC, and many other Vegas groups do a fantastic job of highlighting local educators, and bringing in teachers from nearby communities. Many of these classes and events are held in private homes. This is awesome, and is working wonderfully and I totally support their efforts.

Heck, it was Vixen that convinced me to start up my own group and teach about rope bondage. Reverse Tensionz is a direct outgrowth of SinCity D/s and Las Vegas TNG and I will work hard to maintain those ties.

Anyhoo, as I attended these classes and events I began thinking that since I was coming into contact with educators on the international circuit I might have the unique opportunity to fill a gap I perceived in the Vegas area. I could bring these speakers to Las Vegas for my friends to enjoy.


The Costs
Because these Speakers are using their skills to put food on their plates and pay their mortgages there is some overhead involved. In my humble opinion these people are providing a service and therefore deserve to be paid for their time.

The ticket sales break down like this:
$10 is the negotiated price of entry into a venue, The Power Exchange for example. This usually covers entry into the venue for the evening in addition to the class.

$10 goes to the speaker, often times there is a minimum requirement which comes out of my personal pocket if the class tanks.

$5 goes to Reverse Tensionz and is used to cover expenses like class supplies, transportation to and from Vegas, and class supplies.

Thus $25 for a ticket.

As far as what the people in Las Vegas will pay for, I have found that class attendance will be in the range of 18 to 25 people at a cost range of $15 to $30 per ticket.

I chose $25 because it is the lowest cost I can offer and still have the best chance of the event breaking even, with the possibility of raising the start up money needed for the next event.

My most successful classes were a sell out at $30. The biggest attendance I have seen for a local rope bondage class was Twisted Monk at the EHM (not my event), and tickets for that were $50.

I do not expect everyone to attend every event, and I am not trying to compete with other groups.

I would like people to pick what they are interested in, further their education, have the chance to try something new, and meet some of the authors and educators they wouldn't otherwise get to see.

My hope is to provide a wide range of topics, and I tend to choose speakers that can teach on more topics than simply rope bondage.

I also hope to help grow our numbers by attracting new members with well known educators like Lee Harrington, Midori, and Boss Bondage.

There are people in Las Vegas who know of these educators and want to interact with other locals but have no clue there is actually a scene in their hometown.

I was once one of those people. I am choosing to help change this and leave a big kinky dent in Las Vegas.

I hope this helps explain my choices.

Thanks again for all the support and I hope to see y'all out at a few classes.

Tonight: Erotic Pain Processing with Lee Harrington

Greetings Folks,

Tonight Lee will be presenting his Erotic Pain Processing class for us at the Power Exchange.

Tickets are available at the front desk of the Las Vegas Power Exchange and are $25/ person. Doors open at 7p.m. and we will have you on your way home early enough to not be too sleepy at work tomorrow.

Don't miss out, the smaller class size means more personalized attention for those who brave a mid week class.

If you feel you would enjoy a little Thursday evening playtime your ticket covers an evening at the club.

Thank you Lee for taking the time out of your busy event schedule to teach for us here in Sin City.

Have a great day,
Mateo

Pain is Inevitable, Suffering is Optional: Techniques for Erotic Pain Processing
This class is now on Thursday July 29th. Doors to open at 7 P.M.

Participatory Lecture
Each of us processes pain and intense sensation in different ways. Some of us scream, some go silent, and some laugh with glee. Some focus on the connection we have with our partners and go stoic, while others dance, write and squirm to let the pain come out through movement. From distracting ourselves with other thoughts or body inputs, to breathing techniques we will discuss how different individuals process pain and how to increase your own effectiveness in transmuting pain into pleasure, suffering, or erotic connection.

date: Thursday, July 29, 2010
time: 07:00 PM to 09:00 PM
where: The Power Exchange Las Vegas
address: 3610 South Highland Drive Las Vegas, NV 89103 (702) 255-4739
cost: $25/per person at the door, includes admission to The Power Exchange for the evening.
dress code: Comfy Clothing like you might wear to work out or go to a yoga class.

2. About Lee Harrington
Lee Harrington is an eclectic artist, spiritual and erotic educator, gender radical and published author and editor on human sexuality and spiritual experience-including “Sacred Kink: The Eightfold Paths of BDSM and Beyond,” “Shibari You Can Use: Japanese Rope Bondage and Erotic Macramé” and the “Toybag Guide to Age Play”.

He has also worked as an anthology editor on such projects as “Rope, Bondage, and Power.” Well known for his fun and informative approach to education, he approaches sexuality as yet another art to master, or simply an art to enjoy to its fullest! He has been an active part of the international kink and sex positive communities for over 14 years, and his stories make people laugh while showing you that eroticism can be as serious, sexy, or silly as you make it.

Lee’s writings and photography have appeared in numerous anthologies
including “Dark Moon Rising: Pagan BDSM and the Ordeal Path” (also under his previous pen name, Bridgett Harrington), and his image has been seen everywhere from PlayBoy TV to the pages of Skin Two Magazine. To learn more about Lee visit www.PassionAndSoul.com.

Head and Face Bondage Class Tonight!!!

Hey all,

Tonight at the Erotic Heritage Museum Lee Harrington will be presenting his Hair and Face Bondage class.

Don't miss out, the smaller class size means more personalized attention for those who brave a mid week class.

Tickets are available at the front desk of the Erotic Heritage Museum's gift shop and are $25 / person. Doors open at 7p.m. and we will have you on your way home early enough to not be too sleepy at work tomorrow.

Don't forget that Thursday at the Power Exchange Lee will be presenting Pain is Inevitable, Suffering is Optional.

Have a great day,
Mateo

Playing with the Head: Hair and Face Bondage at The Erotic Heritage Museum.
This class is now on Wednesday July 28th. Doors to open at 7 P.M.

Hands On Class
We look out into the world through our eyes, listen to it with our ears, breathe in every breath through our nose and mouth, and communicate our desires with smiles, sparkling looks and verbal conversation. It is understandable why for many people, facial bondage is an invasion of personal space, an intimate form of play, and a hot way to get someone’s attention. We will focus on making rope blindfolds and gags, simple and complex hair bondage, woven head harnesses and more.

Bring a 15-20ft piece of 2-4mm parachute cord (hemp, silk sash line- whatever works for you) for head harnesses if possible, but standard 6mm line will work for blindfolds and gags.

date: Wednesday, July 28, 2010
time: 07:00 PM to 09:00 PM
where: The Erotic Heritage Museum
address: 3275 Industrial Road Las Vegas, Nevada 89109 (702) 369-6442
cost: $25/per person at the door, includes admission to the Museum
dress code: Comfy Clothing like you might wear to work out or go to a yoga class.

Pain is Inevitable, Suffering is Optional: Techniques for Erotic Pain Processing
This class is now on Thursday July 29th. Doors to open at 7 P.M.

Participatory Lecture
Each of us processes pain and intense sensation in different ways. Some of us scream, some go silent, and some laugh with glee. Some focus on the connection we have with our partners and go stoic, while others dance, write and squirm to let the pain come out through movement. From distracting ourselves with other thoughts or body inputs, to breathing techniques we will discuss how different individuals process pain and how to increase your own effectiveness in transmuting pain into pleasure, suffering, or erotic connection.

date: Thursday, July 29, 2010
time: 07:00 PM to 09:00 PM
where: The Power Exchange Las Vegas
address: 3610 South Highland Drive Las Vegas, NV 89103 (702) 255-4739
cost: $25/per person at the door, includes admission to The Power Exchange for the evening.
dress code: Comfy Clothing like you might wear to work out or go to a yoga class.

2. About Lee Harrington
Lee Harrington is an eclectic artist, spiritual and erotic educator, gender radical and published author and editor on human sexuality and spiritual experience-including “Sacred Kink: The Eightfold Paths of BDSM and Beyond,” “Shibari You Can Use: Japanese Rope Bondage and Erotic Macramé” and the “Toybag Guide to Age Play”.

He has also worked as an anthology editor on such projects as “Rope, Bondage, and Power.” Well known for his fun and informative approach to education, he approaches sexuality as yet another art to master, or simply an art to enjoy to its fullest! He has been an active part of the international kink and sex positive communities for over 14 years, and his stories make people laugh while showing you that eroticism can be as serious, sexy, or silly as you make it.

Lee’s writings and photography have appeared in numerous anthologies
including “Dark Moon Rising: Pagan BDSM and the Ordeal Path” (also under his previous pen name, Bridgett Harrington), and his image has been seen everywhere from PlayBoy TV to the pages of Skin Two Magazine. To learn more about Lee visit www.PassionAndSoul.com.

Updated Information: Lee Harrington Classes

Reverse Tensionz Special Notice
July 16, 2010

Contents:
1. Date Change for Lee Harrington Classes.
2. About Lee Harringtom

1. Date Change for Lee Harrington Classes.
Due to a shift in Lee’s schedule the dates and times for these classes have been changed. After talking with Lee we decided that we would rather move the classes than cancel them outright. My apologies to those that will be unable to attend a mid week class.

My hope is that those who normally can't attend a weekend class will take the opportunity to attend.

Peace,
Mateo

Playing with the Head: Hair and Face Bondage at The Erotic Heritage Museum.
This class is now on Wednesday July 28th. Doors to open at 7 P.M.

Hands On Class
We look out into the world through our eyes, listen to it with our ears, breathe in every breath through our nose and mouth, and communicate our desires with smiles, sparkling looks and verbal conversation. It is understandable why for many people, facial bondage is an invasion of personal space, an intimate form of play, and a hot way to get someone’s attention. We will focus on making rope blindfolds and gags, simple and complex hair bondage, woven head harnesses and more.

Bring a 15-20ft piece of 2-4mm parachute cord (hemp, silk sash line- whatever works for you) for head harnesses if possible, but standard 6mm line will work for blindfolds and gags.

date: Wednesday, July 28, 2010
time: 07:00 PM to 09:00 PM
where: The Erotic Heritage Museum
address: 3275 Industrial Road Las Vegas, Nevada 89109 (702) 369-6442
cost: $25/per person at the door, includes admission to the Museum
dress code: Comfy Clothing like you might wear to work out or go to a yoga class.

Pain is Inevitable, Suffering is Optional: Techniques for Erotic Pain Processing
This class is now on Thursday July 29th. Doors to open at 7 P.M.

Participatory Lecture
Each of us processes pain and intense sensation in different ways. Some of us scream, some go silent, and some laugh with glee. Some focus on the connection we have with our partners and go stoic, while others dance, write and squirm to let the pain come out through movement. From distracting ourselves with other thoughts or body inputs, to breathing techniques we will discuss how different individuals process pain and how to increase your own effectiveness in transmuting pain into pleasure, suffering, or erotic connection.

date: Thursday, July 29, 2010
time: 07:00 PM to 09:00 PM
where: The Power Exchange Las Vegas
address: 3610 South Highland Drive Las Vegas, NV 89103 (702) 255-4739
cost: $25/per person at the door, includes admission to The Power Exchange for the evening.
dress code: Comfy Clothing like you might wear to work out or go to a yoga class.

2. About Lee Harrington
Lee Harrington is an eclectic artist, spiritual and erotic educator, gender radical and published author and editor on human sexuality and spiritual experience-including “Sacred Kink: The Eightfold Paths of BDSM and Beyond,” “Shibari You Can Use: Japanese Rope Bondage and Erotic Macramé” and the “Toybag Guide to Age Play”.

He has also worked as an anthology editor on such projects as “Rope, Bondage, and Power.” Well known for his fun and informative approach to education, he approaches sexuality as yet another art to master, or simply an art to enjoy to its fullest! He has been an active part of the international kink and sex positive communities for over 14 years, and his stories make people laugh while showing you that eroticism can be as serious, sexy, or silly as you make it.

Lee’s writings and photography have appeared in numerous anthologies
including “Dark Moon Rising: Pagan BDSM and the Ordeal Path” (also under his previous pen name, Bridgett Harrington), and his image has been seen everywhere from PlayBoy TV to the pages of Skin Two Magazine. To learn more about Lee visit www.PassionAndSoul.com.

Newsletter, July 2010

Reverse Tensionz Newsletter
July 5, 2010

Contents:

1. Boss Bondage Follow Up
2. New Event: Erotic Rope Focus Group
3. July Classes with Lee Harrington: Erotic Pain Processing & Head and FaceBondage
4. About Reverse Tensionz
   
5. Friends of Reverse Tensionz

1. Boss Bondage Follow Up
The Reverse Tensionz board of directors would like to say thank you to Boss for coming
out this weekend and sharing his knowledge and intensity with us this past weekend. I
know some perceptions of how rope bondage can be used as a tool in your Sadistic
BDSM tool bags were radically changed.

Awesome!!!

Willow had this to say about Boss’s Piercing Like a Pro class:

Boss shattered a few preconceived notions and gave us all some new things to
think about. It was SO great to watch first time piercers/pin-cushions explore this
new form of fun! The giggles, gasps, cheers, and moans left a huge smile on my
face...and that's just from a spectator's point of view! I'm thinking next time I
won't be so quick to volunteer for door-duty!

Both classes proved to be a success with a nice mix of our core group members and new
faces. So to our membership, thank you so much for the support and I hope we can
continue to challenge you and push your skills as Tops, Bottoms, Switches, Sadists,
Masochists, and all the other orientations you can think of.
To the new folks, welcome home! If you have any questions or ideas please feel free to
contact any board member for information or to give us some feed back. If we don't have
the answer to your question we can direct you to someone that does.

2. New Event: Erotic Rope Focus Group
Reverse Tensionz is excited to announce the creation of a brand new event for our rope
family. This Sunday, July 11th we will be kicking off a monthly focus group for erotic
rope enthusiasts.

Our intent is for this group to be a relaxed peer to peer educational event where people
practice their rope skills, share their knowledge, meet new people, reconnect with old
friends, and possibly rub shoulders with some well known names from the rope
educational circuit.

This is also meant to be an opportunity for those who introduced themselves to us during
the demonstrations we do at the Erotic Heritage museum to meet the community and
enjoy a little rope fun. Whether you are an industry professional or a raw beginner the
Reverse Tensionz board of directors wants you to have a time to play with your ropes and
partners with no expectations or pressure.

Rope bottoms come meet and get tied up by rope tops. Here is your chance to share your
insights to tops and other rope submissives.

Rope Tops come share your knowledge and tie up some rope bottoms!

This is a great chance to learn "that cool thing you saw at the party" from your peers in a
safe and low key and semi-private setting.

Are you trying a tie from a book and are a little stuck with the particulars? You will have
experienced riggers at your disposal to answer questions and give tips.

Look for us in the Erotic Heritage Museum's Chapel Area.

• date: Sunday, July 11, 2010
• time: 04:00 PM to 07:00 PM
• where: The Erotic Heritage Museum
• address: 3275 Industrial Road Las Vegas, Nevada 89109 011.702.369.6442
• cost: Free, Donations to the EHM are encouraged
• dress code: Fetish wear is welcomed and encouraged, no nudity please.

3. July Classes with Lee Harrington
Reverse Tensionz and Las Vegas TNG will be teaming up to bring you two classes with
Lee Harrington.

Pain is Inevitable, Suffering is Optional: Techniques for Erotic Pain Processing
Participatory Lecture
Each of us processes pain and intense sensation in different ways. Some of us
scream, some go silent, and some laugh with glee. Some focus on the connection
we have with our partners and go stoic, while others dance, write and squirm to
let the pain come out through movement. From distracting ourselves with other
thoughts or body inputs, to breathing techniques we will discuss how different
individuals process pain and how to increase your own effectiveness in
transmuting pain into pleasure, suffering, or erotic connection.

• date: Saturday, July 24, 2010
• time: 07:00 PM to 09:00 PM
• where: The Las Vegas Power Exchange
• address: 3610 South Highland Drive Las Vegas, NV 89103 (702) 255-4739
• cost: $25/per person, includes admission to The Power Exchange for the evening.
• dress code: Comfy Clothing like you might wear to work out or go to a yoga class.

Playing with the Head: Hair and Face Bondage
Hands On Class
We look out into the world through our eyes, listen to it with our ears, breathe in
every breath through our nose and mouth, and communicate our desires with
smiles, sparkling looks and verbal conversation. It is understandable why for
many people, facial bondage is an invasion of personal space, an intimate form of
play, and a hot way to get someone’s attention. We will focus on making rope
blindfolds and gags, simple and complex hair bondage, woven head harnesses and
more.

Bring a 15-20ft piece of 2-4mm parachute cord (hemp, silk sash line- whatever
works for you) for head harnesses if possible, but standard 6mm line will work for
blindfolds and gags.

• date: Sunday, July 25, 2010
• time: 04:00 PM to 06:00 PM
• where: The Erotic Heritage Museum
  
• address: 3275 Industrial Road Las Vegas, Nevada 89109 (702) 369-6442
• cost: $25/per person at the door, includes admission to the Museum
  
• dress code: Comfy Clothing like you might wear to work out or go to a yoga class.

About Lee Harrington
Lee Harrington is an eclectic artist, spiritual and erotic educator, gender radical
and published author and editor on human sexuality and spiritual experience-
including "Sacred Kink: The Eightfold Paths of BDSM and Beyond," "Shibari
You Can Use: Japanese Rope Bondage and Erotic Macramé" and the "Toybag
Guide to Age Play". He has also worked as an anthology editor on such projects
as "Rope, Bondage, and Power." Well known for his fun and informative
approach to education, he approaches sexuality as yet another art to master, or
simply an art to enjoy to its fullest! He has been an active part of the international
kink and sex positive communities for over 14 years, and his stories make people
laugh while showing you that eroticism can be as serious, sexy, or silly as you
make it. Lee’s writings and photography have appeared in numerous anthologies
including "Dark Moon Rising: Pagan BDSM and the Ordeal Path" (also under his
previous pen name, Bridgett Harrington), and his image has been seen
everywhere from PlayBoy TV to the pages of Skin Two Magazine. To learn more
about Lee visit www.PassionAndSoul.com.

4. About Reverse Tensionz
Reverse Tensionz is a Las Vegas based Pan Sexual, Pan Orientation BDSM group with an
emphasis on erotic rope bondage. We welcome all who enjoy the BDSM lifestyle whether
you are an experienced rigger, lifestyle rope bottom or just discovering an interest in rope.
How you identify yourself is up to you, what brings us together is an interest in erotic
ropes, whether it’s a minor kink or a full on fetish.

Here is a list of links where you can find us online:

Blog: http://reversetensionz.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ReverseTensionz
Fetlife: http://fetlife.com/groups/11370
Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Reverse_Tensionz/
Nawa Yoi Event Calendar: http://www.nawayoi.info/
Mateo’s Blog: http://www.bloggedbymateo.com

5. Friends of Reverse Tensionz
Being a group founded and based in the larger Las Vegas BDSM community you can find
us at many of the local munches and venues attending classes, shopping, or just hanging out
with like minded people.

Here is a list of local hangouts where you can find members of Reverse Tensionz:

The Erotic Heritage Museum:

• 3275 Industrial Road Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
• (702) 369-6442
• The EHM is host to our quarterly event, The Las Vegas Rope Social & Potluck, as well as a monthly Erotic Rope Focus Group. We also hold classes here.

The Power Exchange Las Vegas:

• 3610 South Highland Drive Las Vegas, NV 89103
• (702) 255-4739
• The Power Exchange is a local club that has two play areas dedicated to the BDSM groups here in town. The Power Exchange also plays host to many of the classes sponsored by Reverse Tensionz. It’s a good bet that you can find a few of us here on a Sunday evening having a good time.

Local Munches:
There are many munches in the Las Vegas area. Those listed here are the groups dedicated
to hosting all within the BDSM lifestyle regardless of orientation or sexuality. These
munches are the ones that the B.O.D. of Reverse Tensionz attend, as well as the leaders and
the members of other more specialized focus groups.

SinCity D/s Network:
When: Every Friday night 8-10PM
Where: The "PT's PUB" in the Sahara Pavilion Shopping Center at Sahara and
Decatur (minimum age 21)

Las Vegas Fetish Stores and Vendors:
Are you new to the scene and wondering about leather and latex fashions, or gear? How
about some new toys for you and your significant other? Here is a list of fetish shops in
Las Vegas that are friendly to Reverse Tensionz.

Look for our event listings at these stores and let them know you found out about them
from us.

Lady C Leather – Nevada’s Premier Fetish Company

• 4037 W. Sahara
• Las Vegas, NV 89102
• (702) 641-3834

The Fetish Boutique & P.E.S.- Innovating Human Sexuality Since 1986

• 1509 West Oakey Blvd.
• Las Vegas, NV 89102
• 1-800-339-6953 or (702) 474-2991

The Rack of Las Vegas - Alternative clothing, streetwear, clubwear, novelty gifts and
accessories

• 953 E Sahara Ave, #16b
• Las Vegas, NV 89104
• (702) 732-7225