Workshop
Tie Massage with Daniel Kok and Luke George

In TIE MASSAGE, Luke George and Daniel Kok share ideas and exercises they have developed over the process of creating BUNNY, their performance work and collaboration from 2016. They studied knot-tying techniques from rope bondage, climbing and sailing, as well as macramé. They also undertook basic Thai massage training in Chiang Mai (Thailand), which they then incorporated into their rope practice.

By combining bondage with massage, the full range of pressure and release, or control and surrender, comes into play. The premise is that bondage is a dynamic relational practice that involves a heightened sense of touch and sensitive mutual listening between the giver and the receiver, as they they communicate their consent, trust, empathy and pleasure to each other.

This workshop is suitable for anyone with a curiosity in interacting with others. Emphasising the duty of care in this workshop, we cater to different desires and interests and explore the politics of intimacy that are revealed by the differences between doing and observing, seeing and being seen, leading and being led.

This workshop is limited to 16 people.

Notes to Participants:

• Wear comfortable clothing
• Ropes are provided by the artists
• You will have the opportunity to state what interests you or not. You do not have to do anything you are not comfortable with.
• Sexual Contact is not expected (especially when unsolicited by others)

Day 1

Part 1

• Introductions
• Basic knots/ties
• Tie yourself
• Tie an object

Part 2

• Pair Work:
• Consent, communication, confidence and trust
• Touch exercises: how to touch – intention, qualities, feedback
• Listening exercises: observing and reading the body: self, partner, relationship
• Tying your partner
• Reflection and discussion

Day 2

Part 3

• Pair work: Thai Massage (basic principals for massage techniques and positions)
• Learning some further knots/ties
• Pair Work:
• TIE Massage sequence of touches and ties
• TIE Massage free improv

Part 4

• Mapping exercise: collectively designing a ‘Jam’ based on individual desires/scenarios
• Group Jam
• Reflection and discussion

Daniel Kok studied BA Fine Art & Critical Theory (Goldsmiths College, London, 2001), MA Solo/Dance/Authorship (HZT, Berlin, 2012) and Advanced Performance and Scenography Studies (APASS, Brussels, 2014). Exploring the relational politics in spectatorship and audienceship, Daniel has worked with pole dance, cheerleading, bondage and other ‘figures of performance’. His performances have been presented across Asia, Europe, Australia and North America, notably in the Venice Biennale, Maxim Gorki Theater (Berlin), AsiaTOPA (Melbourne), Singapore International Festival of Arts and Festival/Tokyo. Since 2014, he has collaborated with Luke George (Melbourne) and created “Bunny” (2016), the “Still Lives” series (2019) and “Hundreds+Thousands” (2022).

As artistic director of Dance Nucleus (Singapore), he focuses on sociality as a nexus for interdisciplinary praxis, while building capacities for artistic development and trans-local partnerships in the Asia-Australia region. He curates the annual da:ns Lab and VECTOR exhibition of performance in collaboration with the Esplanade (Singapore)

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Born in lutruwita/Tasmania and based in Naarm/Melbourne, Luke George (he/they) is a multidisciplinary artist whose work is informed by queer politics, whereby people are neither singular nor isolated; bodies of difference can intersect, practice mutual listening, take responsibility for themselves and one another.

Luke creates and performs work through experimental processes with collaborating artists and the public both locally and internationally/culturally. In particular his nine-year collaboration with Singapore-based artist Daniel Kok has resulted in the creation of 3 performance works that have travelled extensively, as well as developing trans-local collaborations and partnerships across the region between themselves, partner institutions and independent artists. Working across Australia, Asia, Europe and North America, Luke has had notable presentations with the Venice Biennale, National Galleries of Melbourne and Singapore, RISING, Dance Massive, Liveworks Festival, Rencontres chorégraphiques de Seine-Saint-Denis, Time Based Art Festival and many more.