Anna Noctuelle
Anna (she/ her) discovered Shibari over 15 years ago and has worked as an educator, model and co-teacher across Europe since 2016. Being most at home inside the ropes, she has always attached importance to teaching modelling content and to paying attention to what models bring to the table, even and especially in the most technical of classes.
Anna has got a holistic approach and draws from her experience in classical ballet as well as her yoga and mindfulness practice which has lead her to developing exceptional body awareness and problem-solving skills in ropes and suspension and to cultivating a creative mindset. She is an empathetic teacher and strongly believes that the art of Japanese rope bondage can be learned by anyone who is willing to give it room to blossom.
Please email mail@anna-noctuelle.com for more info, availability and rates.
mail@anna-noctuelle.com
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! While teaching, GoddessInRope focuses on techniques and technical details that will help to bring enjoyment to the experience of rope, for both the rigger and the model. With her experience of both sides of the rope and many years of co-teaching she is able to customise her content to those wishing to learn. She has taught for many years at the beginner’s jams and the in house courses and has even taught internationally, most recently with Petite Pretzel in Sweden.
Please email goddessinrope@gmail.com for more info, availability and rates.
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.
Mel Kitenga
Mel (she/ her) is a neurodiverse, queer, rope customisation professional from the Middle East, laying down roots in East London. She uses her extensive insight and experience to teach numerous classes and workshops (both in house and externally), teach privately and has professionally rigged for a variety of productions – music videos, films, exhibitions, fashion shows – in some amazing locations (including The Tate Modern!)
She enjoys teaching from the ground up. More specifically; teaching the basic building blocks of ropes and going from there. With a keen eye for detail and building good habits, she is most confident in teaching beginners and intermediates. She finds joy in introducing people to rope, working with them to discover their learning style and to teach them in the best way possible for them as individuals. It’s a privilege to be a frame of reference for someone beginning their journey into rope bondage.
Mel really enjoys teaching fellow nerodiverse people, making it her goal to find what makes someone connect to the practice so that they go away wanting to do it again. Her own neurodiversity gives her a lot of patience and understanding; she tends to be warm and encouraging and her enthusiasm about rope usually rubs off on her students.
Email theaccidentalrigger@gmail.com for more info, availability and rates.
Mouse
Mouse (she/ her/ it) is a new-ish teacher with a passion for teaching beginners and improvers the more fluid, less technical side of rope. Basing her teaching in body manipulation, movement and connection, 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. At the beginning of 2023 she began working with Serotonin to collaborate on monthly rope jam and class open only to those from Black and Caribbean diaspora and other people of colour.
Email mouseinrope@gmail.com for more info, availability and rates.
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.
Music video work:
* Charli XCX and Christine + the Queens, “Gone” (2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chSZCtLrgz8
* Cody Frost, “Don’t Worry Your Secret’s Safe With Me” (2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDhyjMDsvvQ
Fashion photography:
* Emilian Iftimie (photographer), Alina Elena Grosu (designer). “The Gaze” (2021): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chSZCtLrgz8
Feature film work:
* Andy Edwards (Director), “Graphic Designs” (2022). https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13452544/
Art gallery installation:
* Antonio Pichillá (sculptor), “The Immortal” (July 2022). https://elizabethxibauer.com/exhibition-the-immortal/
Email Uglyducklingrope@gmail.com for more info.
Other faces you might see in the studio
The following co-teach beginners classes and courses, but don’t offer private tuition.
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.
Eleni
Eleni (she/ they) has been part of the Anatomie team since 2021. 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! She can often be found at rope jams – co-teaching beginners classes, hanging out on the sofa, doing the door, or being tied. 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.
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.