Amy
Amy (they/them) is a SE London based Artist/cowboy. An occasional latex designer, they has a love for the filthy whether it be people or practices. They are new to rope and Anatomie, working here since the beginning of 2021. A rope switch, they find inspiration in the ways rope can be sexy, silly and saccharine. As life presses restart they are looking forward to expanding their rope skills, making new friends, and launching their nonprofit kink collective Aimless Gallery, with its ethically sourced kink shop and inclusive kink nights, to support LGBTQIA and surrounding communities.
Anna Noctuelle
Anna (she/ her) discovered Shibari over 15 years ago and has worked with this art form regularly as a model, performer and teacher across Europe. Her background is in dance and her interest in Buddhism and meditation influence her aesthetic and philosophical approach to Shibari. She believes that Japanese rope bondage is a dance of the soul that deserves constant exploration as it can teach you life, vision and maybe even wisdom. She feels most at home inside ropes: particularly Semenawa and exploring places where the noise dies away and the soul is being whisked away to a place unfamiliar.
Eleni
Eleni (she/ they) has been part of the Anatomie team since 2021. She can often be found at rope jams – co-teaching beginners, hanging out on the sofa, doing the door, or being tied. She is responsible for the newsletters and is the studio’s admin assistant: she will often be the one responding to your emails. Outside of her work at Anatomie, Eleni is currently training to be a Clinical Sexologist and runs adult sex education workshops and courses as part of The 5th House. She is also one half of Klink. Eleni has been exploring the kinkier side of life for almost a decade, and most often describes herself as a brat… but is also realising that labels only really suit her for a while, and then she outgrows them. An ex primary school teacher, Eleni always said she wouldn’t quit teaching when she quit teaching. And here she is: finding her feet teaching shibari and sex ed to adults, as opposed to teaching maths to 11-year-olds. It’s infinitely more fun!
Em.Pad
Em.Pad (they/ them) is a queer, gender-fluid human exploring and experiencing kink and alternative relationship styles for a few years now. Originally a bike courier, they started working at Anatomie around October 2021 with the store team and are also a HouseCat. They love to treat rope and develop connections with other humans through shibari.
Goddessinrope
Goddessinrope (she/her) started her rope journey in 2016 when she began exploring her kinky side with the vague notion that restraint could be fun. She initially discovered Shibari privately then visited the studio and the rest is history! A bottom leaning rope switch, she is often found in the studio being tied (very occasionally tying), treating rope as one of our Shibari Store team members, or co-teaching beginners classes or workshops. As a bottom she enjoys a variety of styles of tying, from floor work to suspension, technical practice rope to more playful and painful ties. As a rigger she enjoys exploring ways to surprise her bottom and get a reaction from them. She enjoys teaching beginner rope and has performed several times including a performance for Athens Shibari.
Kaoru Neve
Kaoru Neve (she/her) has been practising shibari since 2016 on a journey of self-discovery and connection. What started as a way to open up to her kinky side, later gave her a language to express technique, feelings, creativity, and intimacy. For her, the charm of rope is its potential to open to a multitude of experiences: the intimate moment between two or more people; the aesthetic expression of a photo; the research of elegant techniques; the highlight of the natural beauty of bodies; the meditative moment of subspace; the immersive experience of a performer; the connection of a community; the silly laughter between friends; the exploration of boundaries; the discovery of a new body; the personal journey of self-discovery, and beyond. This is what she is passionate about in her teachings: not a dogmatic perspective, but an opening of possibilities. She cares about the personal ‘why’, and she uses her skills in education and psychology to support everyone. She gives particular care to the learning approach of the student and how she can support the individual style and growth, allowing it to blossom with awareness. Kaoru brings to rope an aesthetic sense based on the principle of “form follows function”. Her style is very curiosity driven: the deconstruction and exploration of techniques is a way to lay a safe foundation that allows her to try more things and find different paths to keep her journey going. Ultimately, she has found in rope a powerful way to connect to others — individuals and community — and she wants to spread that joy..
Petite Pretzel
Petite Pretzel (she/ her) is a rope switch from New York. She has taught shibari at Anatomie Studio London since 2019, as well as abroad for Athens Shibari in Greece, Eurix (European Rope Exchange) in Germany and Shibari Camp in Sweden. She has performed live for Edinburgh Rope Showcase, Drawn to Rope London, Rabbithole Club, Athens Shibari and Fox Badge. Her commercial rigging includes music videos, art gallery installations, fashion photography and full-length film. She lives in Bethnal Green with her cat, who loves ropes just as much as she does.
Mel Kitenga
Mel (she/her/it) is a neurodiverse, queer, rope customisation professional from the Middle East, laying down roots in East London. An active participant in the scene since early 2019, she began by treating ropes for Anatomie’s Shibari Store, modelling for classes, assisting teaching specifically for rope bottoms, and as a House Cat. A fetishist with a penchant for bondage and the intensity it fosters, her rope experience began as a bottom. After dedicating years of her time and focus to tying, she was endearingly nicknamed “the accidental rigger”. Her skill set has grown exponentially to include tying. This has left her with a wealth of knowledge on both sides of rope. Mel uses this insight to strive to be an inclusive teacher for both sides of rope (tying and bottoming). She does this in-house, externally and privately. Mel has professionally rigged for a variety of productions – music videos, films, exhibitions, fashion shows – in some amazing locations (including The Tate Modern!)
Outside of work she is eager to rekindle connections and continue exploring Semenawa. Mel is keen to use her skills and knowledge to give back to the individuals/non-profits in the kink, fat, LGBTQIA+, and BIPOC communities that have supported and inspired her.
Mouse
Mouse (she/ her/ it) is a queer, mixed race, fat femme rope bottom and accidental rigger from London. Embarking on her rope journey some time in early 2018, she started out as a bottom with a penchant for torture and predicaments, but quickly found that learning to tie was pretty enjoyable too. As a bottom, it still enjoys torture and can’t see that changing any time soon. Mouse channels her time and energy as a rigger into her own unique brand of increasingly sadistic Chaotic Toddler Energy™️, as well as intuitive rope that is heavily focused on bodily manipulation nand connectivity. She is leaning into her role as a rope educator, and enjoys creating safe learning spaces that help others to access connections and feelings through rope. Mouse is a staunch advocate for body and racial diversity in the rope and kink scenes, and will die on the Rope-is-for-Everyone hill. Recently, she started working with Eroticnoire to create Shibari Noire: a monthly rope jam and beginners class open only to those from Black and Caribbean diaspora and other people of colour.