BANGING BERLIN by Mary Katharine Tramontana
Ever been to Marzahn? If you’re at all kinky or kink-curious, you might wanna leave your inhibitions at Heimat this weekend and head over to cultural center, Alte Börse Marzahn. This Friday morning kicks off the 12th annual Xplore Berlin, a three-day international creative sexualities festival celebrating “the art of lust”.
explore unconventional sexualities, fantasies, and arts
The concept – created by choreographer and conceptual artist Felix Ruckert who runs Berlin’s legendary BDSM community, Schwelle 7 – is to create an adult playground, an open and safe space to explore unconventional sexualities, fantasies, and arts.
This year’s festival has doubled in size since last year and explorers can choose from over 50 workshops, demonstrations, lectures, and performances on BDSM, bodywork, yoga, dance, and ritual. Female ejaculation, Tantra, “Vulva Torture”, and “An Other Orgy” are just a few of the offerings on the menu, each with a focus ranging from therapeutic to aesthetic to spiritual. In addition, there will be three permanent interactive play spaces to visit from Friday through Sunday: a massage exchange, a silent space, and a parallel world for dominant/ submissive role play.
safe, sane, and consensual Xplore
The basic BDSM principles of SSC (safe, sane, and consensual) are emphasized for all activities and it’s BYO kinky supplies, so don’t forget your extravagant costumes, wigs, floggers, rope, or whatever floats your boat. Same goes for safe sex accoutrements.
A decadent dress BDSM play party – “The Aristocracy of Desire” – will close the festival on Sunday night. If you can’t make it this weekend, check out Schwelle’s monthly full moon/ new moon parties or the weekly bondage jam. Limited festival tickets are still available, but you better hurry, because the maximum capacity is set at 500 participants.
Stay tuned for more!
Banging Berlin is a monthly column by Mary Katharine Tramontana.
Picture: © Mélanie Le Grand
Follow her on Twitter: @BangingBerlin.
