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Workshops / Talks / Performances  | Stretch Festival Online Oct 2020 

Welcoming & Opening Ritual with Kai Ehrhardt & Daan van Kampenhout

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During most of the previous festivals in the past it has been a tradition to start each day with a welcoming by Kai and an opening Ritual by Daan. This time we will have a big global welcoming moment for the whole 5-day festival.

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Kai is the founder and curator of the Stretch Festival.
Amongst many other things, one of Daan's signature events at Stretch has been his Queer Ancestor Ritual & the Opening Ceremony

Wednesday

20:00 - 20:30 CET

Juicy Connections with Jorge Rodolfo De Hoyos Jr

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A fun dance class focusing on lubricating those joints to get ourselves limber, open and activated! Ask yourself: What are physical elements you notice when having enjoyable, deeper and expansive connections? …think of joints in your body, a good time spent with a friend, great sex, a soulful walk, a creative endeavor...
No dance experience is necessary, beyond maybe having enjoyed dancing by yourself naked or in your undies : )

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Jorge De Hoyos is a freelance dancer, performer and choreographer from California and based in Berlin since 2012. He studied Cultural Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Cruz and recently got an MA in Solo/ Dance/ Authorship from the Universität der Künste in Berlin. Currently, he’s interested in geeking out on and integrating Permaculture ethics and principles into all aspects of his life and creative endeavors.

Wednesday

20:30 - 21:30 CET

The Heart Meridian: An Exploration in Self Love with Serge Tampakakis

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An exploration in self love: breathe through your heart connecting with the truth that they are both unique. In the first part we'll practice together a soothing and opening meridian acupressure sequence followed by a heart meditation. For the second part we'll give ourselves permission to receive touch and deep breath over the heart line harnessing the loving energy into a guided solo tantra sequence and movement in freedom.

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Serge has been a bodyworker and massage therapist for over 7 years. During this time he’s supported people with a wide range of injuries, physical and emotional trauma, working both from a clinical and holistic perspective. In 2016, he completed his Yoga Teacher Training, combining his passion for yoga practices, healing and bodywork. When in his classes/workshops, expect hands on work, deep powerful assists, informed adjustments and an invitation to practice your own beauty.

Thursday

11:00 - 12:30 CET

Intellectual Bondage with Peter Banki

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If bondage with the ropes is a highly visible, transitory and conscious action, what I am calling “intellectual bondage” is most often unconscious. It manifests itself, for example, in someone’s way of interpreting what happens to them, in their thinking and values, in their ability (or inability) to take risks or to listen. Can we make our intellectual bondage more visible? And can such an experience give birth to a more profound eroticism?

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Peter Banki is the founder and director of Erotic Living. He has an extensive background in Iyengar yoga, dance and Capoeira Angola. His somatic and movement practice forms the basis of his work in the erotic sphere. He also holds a Ph.D in German studies from New York University (September, 2009). His book The Forgiveness To Come: the Holocaust and the Hyper-Ethical came out recently with Fordham University Press.

Thursday

11:00 - 12:30 CET

Peaceful Body - Present Mind: Awakening Freedom and Peace through the Body with William Yensen

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Meditation is fundamentally about redirecting our attention from the state of doing to the state of being. Restoration, relaxation and rejuvenation from within. We will engage and unwind our bodies through conscious and qualitative movement, and gain access to a new experience of our selves and our sense of aliveness. Moving mindfully into stillness enhances the quality of our life experience. In this 75 minute workshop we will explore gentle movement exercises that are intended to sooth and tone our nervous-system and then we’ll enter a period of silent sitting.

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William Yensen is an artist, musician and Integrative Therapist with a long-time practice in yoga, meditation, dance, energetic coaching and somatic therapies. His style is informed by his love of nature and his deep exploration of the evolution of consciousness, as well as many years of education in the field of psychotherapy and mindfulness. He finds joy in helping others to experience themselves and their lives with curiosity, compassion and intimacy.

Thursday

16:00 - 17:15 CET

"We've only just begun..." with Ariel Nil Levy

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“We’ve only just begun,” sang Karen Carpenter 50 years ago – a hopeful message. Navigating the vast landscapes of media today, how does one actually start to tell a story, their story? What makes a beginning of a tale stand out? And how to queer it all from the very start? In this 90 minute workshop, we’ll explore different techniques and tools and learn how to create a juicy START to every story.

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Ariel Nil Levy 1977 Tel Aviv born, 20 years Germany based. Producer, writer, actor, teacher studied both in Tel Aviv and Germany theater and voice work. Deutscher Schauspielpreis 2019 for one of the lead roles in – Murer Anatomie Eines Prozesses – also known as Anali Goldberg – something jewish and sexual a post drag figure.

Thursday

16:00 - 17:00 CET

Queer Sensitivity with Benjamin Block & Jochen Stechmann

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This workshop will explore the topic of sensitivity as a superpower. As something that can strengthen us in our Queerness and empathy for life and nourishes our ability to love. How can I feel my body as a self-owned and self-evident queer shelter using vulnerability as a resource?
What sensitive qualities can my Queerness unfold? We´ll combine elements of bodywork, mindfulness, dance...to explore our uniqueness, articulate and celebrate our desires and needs as sensitive human beings.

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Benjamin & Jochen identify as gender-queer, they are open-hearted & holistic oriented body researchers, who accompany people in times of personal change, healing and transformation. For more than 5 years they have been working as certified practitioners of various methods in different (queer) contexts. They both love empowering people reconnect with the wisdom of their own bodies.
Both also draw from their experience of 15 years of theater, dance and performance work.

Thursday

18:30 - 20:00 CET

Calling Gay Heroes! Are you ready to unleash the hero within? with Christian de la Huerta

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What does it mean to be a hero—to live heroically—in these times? People we today call LGBTQ have a long tradition of fulfilling spiritual roles such as teachers, healers, and consciousness scouts. How are you expressing these roles in your life? Ready to step things up a bit? We are living in arguably the most critical juncture in the evolution of humanity. The clarion call has gone out: All hands on deck!

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With 30 years of experience, Christian de la Huerta is an internationally-renowned spiritual teacher, sought-after personal transformation coach and leading voice in the breathwork community. He has traveled the world offering transformational retreats combining psychological and spiritual teachings. Author of the award-winning, critically-acclaimed Coming Out Spiritually, Christian has spoken at numerous universities and conferences and on the TedX stage. His retreats are known for their inspiring, powerful and transformative effects.

Thursday

20:00 - 21:30 CET

Penetration Meditation - an exploration of yielding with Maevon Canter

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Within a jointly created space, take as much privacy as you need to meet an imaginary partner. This could be a real life lover, an ally from the spiritual realm or something much more amorphous like Universal Love, Strength or Eros. You could also choose to work with something from the shadow realm to take inside and process. Within your boundaries explore being penetrated and yielding control. Toys and fingers are also welcome.

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Maevon has pursued an informal exploration of spirituality and movement for over 30 years. He has studied Fine Art and The Alexander Technique and calls himself a Radical Faerie. In 2009 Maevon began studying somatic practices with Authentic Eros and certified as a Sacred Intimate in the Body Electric tradition. He has partially spent his lockdown exploring Self-pleasuring in self-isolation (self-pleasulation) with a like-minded group, which is where this mediation originated.

Thursday

22:00 - 23:15 CET

Breathe with Thilo Keller

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With the blossoming of Corona I have noticed how I went into fear mode: fear for my parents, for my health, fear of the unknown… This creates stress and weakens the immune system, even worse when we act out of fear... Breathing and holding your breath not only strengthens the immune system.
It helps in transforming existential fears, making them tangible in your body. Elements: Breathing, meditation and gentle movement

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Friday

07:30 - 08:30 CET

Moving and Sharing in our Very Own Queer Space with Jochen Kleres

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The Corona epidemic has limited queer spaces and disrupted
queer social life, confining us more to the privacy of our homes. This has especially affected aspects of queer living that extend beyond domesticity so compatible with heteronormative ways of life. At the same time, our homes are also personal, intimate, regenerative, protective etc. spaces and a particular resource to queer life.

Let’s try and capitalize some on this and use online-tools to connect with one another in our very own queer space—at home—across some physical, social and global distances. We can share a part of ourselves in our home space and offer it for others to relate to us. The workshop will guide participants to focus on: How does it feel to be in your space?
Which aspects do you want to share with another, which do you want to keep for yourself? In the end we will not only meditate these questions and share an online view of our space but fill this space with our personal dance movements as an offer for others to connect with us. No prior dance experience is required, merely an openness to explore expressing yourself through movement.
Let’s try and capitalize some on this and use online-tools to connect with oneanother in our very own queer space—at home—across physical, social and global distances. We can share a part of ourselves in our home space and offer it for others to relate to us. The workshop will guide participants to focus on: How does it feel to be in your space? Which aspects do you want to share with another, which do you want to keep for yourself? In the end we will not only share an online view of our space but fill this space with our personal dance movements as an offer for others to connect with us.

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Jochen Kleres is based in Berlin. His background is in sociology and
contact improvisation. He co-facilitates a contact improvisation group for gay, bi, trans, and queer men at Village Berlin e.V. He also aspires to become a dance therapist.

Friday

11:00 - 12:30 CET

Signing Intimacy / a private shared inquiry with Gal Naor

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An invitation to an intimate empowering journey in which we enhance our inner dialogue to be soft, loving, and intuitive. We will experiment with both communal and individual inquiries on the quest to find our unique ways to connect, express, feel, and acknowledge. We will explore Self-Intimacy in a non-verbal context, learn how to listen to our body-knowledge, discover our authentic individual Sign Language, and dance to connect and unlock emotional baggage.

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Gal Naor is an Israeli Sign Language interpreter, theater maker, choreographer and founder of The progressive wave, a creative independent in Berlin. In their work, they combine dance, performance art, visual art, and consciousness studies. Their approach to the performance world is inclusive and based on the understanding that each body should move in its unique way. Including a diverse range of performers, their work is encouraging the empowerment of queer identities.

Friday

13:00 - 14:30 CET

Plush Animal Play with Peter Banki

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Many people give up their plush animals well before they go into puberty. However, there are also quite a few who never give them up, and courageously carry them into adulthood. This workshop is a unique opportunity to “out” yourself as a plush animal lover, or otherwise open yourself to an experience that is warm, funny and intimate. Choose your favorite one, or bring along all of them!

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Peter Banki is the founder and director of Erotic Living. He has an extensive background in Iyengar yoga, dance and Capoeira Angola. His somatic and movement practice forms the basis of his work in the erotic sphere. He also holds a Ph.D in German studies from New York University (September, 2009). His book The Forgiveness To Come: the Holocaust and the Hyper-Ethical came out recently with Fordham University Press.

Friday

13:00 - 14:30 CET

Sensual Self Massage and Touch with Zahiro Ji

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In this workshop we give our body a self treatment with elements of Dynamic Bodywork, Meridian Streaming Techniques and Thai Yoga Massage.
We will travel with touch through our bodies using our palms, fingers, arms, our legs and feet with different dynamics and qualities. Here sensuality is invited and clothing is optional . This means you are welcome to take off parts of your clothes or leave your clothes on, just as it feels good for you. To be comfortable we will use a chair (best without backrest) and a mat on the floor.

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Zahiro Ji originally coming from contemporary dance is now besides a movement facilitator mainly a Thai Massage Facilitator and teacher. He works as a holistic health practitioner in Berlin, Germany. Offering bodywork and movement in various surroundings. He loves to link both of them together to create new fields of exploration. In September he starts a one year "Intuitive Thai Meridian Massage Training" and a " Sensual Thai Massage" Weekend.

Friday

16:00 - 17:30 CET

Justice is What Love Looks Like in Public with John Stasio

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_Justice is What Love Looks Like in Public_
These words of Cornell West will provide us a stepping off point to engage in conversation (and inquiry) regarding the connection between our personal spiritual/erotic, healing and transformational work and the mandate that we play a role in the transformation of our world. We will use meditation, poetry and conversation to explore how hot activism can be.

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John is the founder of Easton Mountain, a community, sanctuary and retreat center in upstate NY. He is a body-centered therapist, workshop facilitator, with a long history of activism with ACT-UP, Queer Nation and social justice causes. His work seeks to promote community, spiritual growth, and transformation as a foundation for social change. He loves to cook for guests at EM, engage in lively conversation with friends and hang out with his dog.

Friday

16:00 - 17:30 CET

Stretch, Don’t Strain - Cultivating A Home Yoga Practice with Kevin Kortan

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We all need support and guidance in creating a new habit. For it to be effective, a home yoga meditation practice doesn't need to be an hour long. As one master put it, it's better to do a short practice with some consistency, than to do a long practice inconsistently. Experience two 20-minute practices - a daytime practice to motivate, and an evening practice for better sleep. Experience your home practice as something you want to do, a refuge, a haven of healing & strength.

• Set a timer for 15 mins before the workshop begins to allow time to sign in.
• Set up a yoga mat (or on a firm carpet) and any props you would like to use (for example, blankets, a bolster, a chair if you use one.)
• If possible, set up your camera so that your whole body and mat can be seen in the frame during the practices, ideally whether seated, standing, or lying down. If that is not possible, no worries.
• If you do not wish to be seen during the practices, you can keep your camera off.

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Kevin Kortan enjoys working with men in groups and individually, helping them become more authentically themselves through the practices of yoga, touch, and sound healing. He co-created and taught the workshop "Power, Pleasure, & Play" with Kai Ehrhardt in New York and Easton Mountain. Kevin danced professionally, touring internationally including the world-renowned Trisha Brown Dance Company. He has taught yoga for 25 years and trained yoga teachers for over 15 years. Kevin is also a Yoga Therapist, Movement Therapist, and teaches Experiential Anatomy, Dance, and Chanting.

Friday

17:30 - 19:00 CET

Boundless Eros: A solo Belly2Belly practice with JoJo Bear

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Did you want to experience the depth of going inward? We are so accustomed to reach outwardly and for something to fulfill us from the outside, how about indulging in a practice where we can witness the magic of how breath and awareness of our hearts, bellies and our root can deliver us to bliss? In this solo clothing optional practice you will need a place to lay down and camera pointed towards you.

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JoJo Bear is a Somatic Sex & Intimacy Educator in the San Francisco Bay Area. His passion is teaching men the importance of conscious awareness around sex, sexuality, the body and pleasure. JoJo teaches the Wheel of Consent™, Belly2Belly™, erotic hypnosis. As a somatic Coach, hypnotherapist, sexological bodyworker and sex educator JoJo's commitment is to bring safety, agency, trust and to allow men to tap into their boyish curiosity regarding pleasure!

Friday

17:30 - 19:00 CET

The Naked Truth - Your Story is our community with Joseph Kearney

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The seeds of storytelling - where do our ideas come from? Why do some work so well and others fall flat? Reflect on your life's journey to date, can you tease out some pivotal moments, some memories that are clear and come to you again and again, something filled with joy, some sad thoughts, some time in your life you were successful and some time you failed?

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As a Dramatherpist, journalist and actor/public speaker I have been telling queer stories all of my life. I tell stories at a centre in Amsterdam; Mezrab, and it has been a tonic for my soul. The art of storytelling has so many healing properties and can help the teller and audience to re-frame a memory or share a common understanding through metaphor and ritual. I use this healing storytelling in my work.

Friday

19:00 - 20:00 CET

Stretch Heart Circle with Marco Astolfi & Torsten Bless

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This Stretch Festival offers you the opportunity to experience intense days in times that already are extraordinary. Here you can find a space just for yourself to talk about what moves you, in a community consisting of fellow Stretchers. The Heart Circle was created by Native Americans and adapted by the US Radical Faeries. It is a place where we can sit together in trust, to speak from the heart and listen with our hearts, honoring different life experiences and lifestyles without judging and discussing.

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Torsten works as an editor and writer, has found his way to the Authentic Eros/Village community through the Easter Stretch Festival 2015, graduate of the One-Year Training 2016 and co-host of the Village Heart Circle since the summer of 2017 (together with Marco).
Marco is a literature translator, a writer, a storyteller and a faerie. He uses his autobiographic writings as a tool for healing, integration and transformation. Fellow Stretcher from 2014, Village regular, co-hosts the monthly Heart Circle for gbtq men and the Book Club. Attended the One Year Training in 2018 and currently assisting the 2020 one. Privates Talks is a revised upgraded version of the Cock O’Clock workshop given at Easter Stretch 2019.

Friday

20:30 - 22:00 CET

Genital Meditation with Julian Martin

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In most of our sexual activities, we increase excitement in a short time from zero to 100%. With this partner exercise using genital touch we examine what happens if we stay consciously in the range between 20 and 80% over a longer period of time. What happens in our body? Are there any wishes coming up? How can I influence my arousal by breathing?

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Julian originally studied acting, singing and dance before he discovered his passion for massage and bodywork. He regularly organises and leads courses for men and weekend workshops in Zürich under the title of “Men Bodywork”. The main areas of work are breath, voice, movement, touch, self-acceptance and the discovery and expression of your own needs as the key to a free and fulfilling (sex) life.

Friday

22:00 - 23:30 CET

Rope Flow Meditation - Beyond Bondage with LoveDragon

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Surrender to the magic of the flowing ropes. In this introductory workshop we will playfully explore the soft side of ropes. This is a no strings attached exercise (pun intended), so we won’t use any knots or restrictived ties at all. Bondage afficinados are invited to practice mindfulness and learn new skills for connection outside their techniques. The ropes will be tools to facilitate relaxation and sensuality in a structured, safe and consensual partner exercise.

This workshop is designed for two people in front of the camera, and you should have one rope of approximately 8m length. I strongly recommend those made from natural fibres (jute or hemp, e.g.) as synthetic ones have the tendency to burn the skin and moving ropes on skin is the main part of this workshop.

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Constantly traveling, he makes a living of giving massages, organizing Playfight Rituals and Tango workshops as well as reading Tarot.

Friday

22:00 - 23:30 CET

The Fishing Dance & Other Cosmic Confessions with Sindri Runudde

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In the workshop we will collectively dance and do a work out program together. I will teach different dances from the concept album connected to the performance “The Fishingdance & other cosmic confessions”. I wish to share the joy and fun of my tripple Q method (qute queer n qonfused) and share stories and experiences through silly dances. This will bridge the silly and trivial to the epic in an attempt of self healing and care.

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Sindri Runudde is a Swedish and internationally based dancer and choreographer. Sindris work spans between different fields that include sound art, visual art and performance. Previously educated in contemporary circus and dance Sindri has worked with international companies as well as toured their own work in Sweden and abroad. Sindri works from a queer feminist perspective and from lived experience. Since having a visual impairment they are involved internationally in the disabled/crip dance community.

Saturday

9:00 - 10:00 CET

Yoga and Sexual Alchemy with Angelos Ananda

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Sexual energy is often viewed as something that you just have to deal with and eliminate and there can be a lot of guilt surrounding this. Learning to have a healthy relationship with your sexuality and to understand the spiritual connection means that this part of your life can become a medium for pleasure and spiritual connection. Yoga through practice and specific breath exercises can help activate your sexual energy. It is not only about body-stretching techniques, its also breathing techniques and massage methods. A beautiful way to amplify the body's mysterious energies.

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Angelos Ananda teaches internationally yoga, meditation, movement classes and personal growth workshops inspiring people to live their lives to the fullest. He leads the group of Men Only Spiritual Yoga Retreats and workshops around the world.

Saturday

11:00 - 12:15 CET

Opening Up - Exercises for opening your anal sphincters and enjoying your bum with Tim Foskett

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The art of anal relaxation and the possibility of anal pleasure are not widely taught, encouraged or celebrated - even in this day and age. In this workshop we will share experiences, struggles and insights about the art of releasing and enjoying your anus - and have space to try some of them out in the privacy of your own home. All questions, insecurities, struggles and expertise welcome.

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Tim is an individual and group psychotherapist with over 25 years experience of working with people and groups. He is a director of Loving Men and has a private practice in London where he sees individuals, people in relationships, runs on-going therapy groups for gay/bi men and supervises other practitioners. He has written a number of interactive workbooks for gay/bi men on self-esteem, relationships and sex, which you can download for free on www.timfoskett.com.

Saturday

11:00 - 12:30 CET

My Grindr, why have you forsaken me? with Thomas Schallhart

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What's your way of staying away from, coping with or enjoying gay dating apps? How do you prevent yourself from being an apphole and how can you do better? What are mindful ways of engaging in sexting, hooking up or finding intimacy and love? In this workshop, you are invited to discussions and reflections on boundaries and desires, mental and community health, sexual freedom and addiction.

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Thomas does activism and political education around Europe. As part of the Berlin-based collective Critical Queer Solidarity, he currently develops an online reflection tool on safer dating for people using gay dating apps.

Saturday

11:00 - 12:15 CET

Orgasmic living- the origin of sex with Johannes Heinzerling

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In an orgasmic state it is easy to feel and enjoy life. Being who you are without separation. The foundation of how we communicate with life develops unconsciously during our early years. In this workshop I will guide you to reconnect with your essential style of ecstasy - your unique way to experience and express life in each moment. We will use trance, self touch, breath, movement, sound and sharing in the intimacy of small groups.

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Johannes Heinzerling is a „heilpraktiker“, based in Utrecht NL. He has an acupuncture, shiatsu and psychosomatic background and he guides people through existential transpassings. He helps you to find your own strength and sensitivity. For more than 30 years, he works with fine energetically bodywork, constellation work, tantric, shinto and process orientated psychotherapy. His pupils praise his style of self-expression, meditative movement and marshal arts. His approach is, to find blessings in experiencing your inner nature.

Saturday

13:00 - 14:30 CET

Layers of Intimacy with Sanjay Kumar

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This workshop seeks to explore some of our own layers of intimacy. What are the layers we take off in order to connect erotically, emotionally, physically and even spiritually with our intimate partners? What are the layers we put on in order to do so? We will identify our comfort zones and see how we might stretch from them in order to grow and deepen our experiences also identifying our boundaries beyond which we may panic. We will explore how we say yes and how we say no. The workshop seeks to explore how we may shine our essence more authentically in order to connect more holistically with our lovers.

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Sanjay is a psychotherapist and group work facilitator who has been working with Lovingmen.org with gay and bi men over 17 years exploring with them their journeys of self discovery, growth and intimacy. Sanjay is an integrative Gestalt practitioner using also mindfulness and meditation techniques bringing a more holistic experience to his practice. Sanjay offers sessions face to face and online and works both in the UK and India.

Saturday

13:00 - 14:30 CET

Privates Talks with Marco Astolfi

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What are the stories we’ve learnt about our genitals? What are the words, the names, the memories the anecdotes and the emotions attached to them? And what are the stories our genitals would tell us, if we only took the time to listen? This is a place to share and witness these stories, acknowledge them, let them go, if we don’t need them anymore, and possibly create new ones that serve us better. (Implies nudity).

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Marco Astolfi is a literature translator, a writer, a storyteller and a faerie. He uses his autobiographic writings as a tool for healing, integration and transformation. Fellow Stretcher from 2014, Village regular, co-hosts the monthly Heart Circle for gbtq men and the Book Club. Attended the One Year Training in 2018 and currently assisting the 2020 one. Privates Talks is a revised upgraded version of the Cock O’Clock workshop given at Easter Stretch 2019.

Saturday

13:00 - 14:30 CET

Introduction to Sex Magic with David Bloom

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In this workshop, we will start from the body, working from sensation into movement, before bringing attention to the spacetime we are moving through, and our relation to other bodies. We will use Desire as a tool to enter an enhanced state of awareness and use that state to manifest intentions. We will not be referring much to specific magical traditions or lineages, and instead focus on sensing, and lived, embodied experience of energetic work.

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David Bloom is a choreographer, dancer, teacher, father, filmmaker, bodyworker, pianist, and tea collector. Graduated from the M.A. Choreography course at HZT Berlin. David has taught in many contexts, including HZT Berlin, Tanzquartier Vienna, Tanzfabrik Berlin, Human Architecture Lab in St. Petersburg, K3 in Hamburg, the Masters of Contemporary Dance Education in Frankfurt, the Rietveld Academy for Fine Arts & Design in Amsterdam, & the ImPulsTanz Festival in Vienna. More info at: https://davidbloom.info

Saturday

16:00 - 17:15 CET

BodyFlow Massage with Maevon Canter

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BodyFlow is a full body massage created by Andy Saich, normally given and received unclothed and including genital touch. However it is not an erotic massage as such. The emphasis is on acceptance, nurturing, appreciation and holding rather than on erotic arousal. This taster session will include an overview of the massage and its particular way of holding space and maintaining boundaries, after which we will learn and practice some of the floor based positions.

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Maevon has pursued an informal exploration of spirituality and movement for over 30 years. He has studied Fine Art and The Alexander Technique and calls himself a Radical Faerie. In 2009 Maevon began studying somatic practices with Authentic Eros and certified as a Sacred Intimate in the Body Electric tradition. He learnt BodyFlow massage from its creator Andy Saich and sees it as the perfect way to bring together the wisdom of touch with spirituality and sexuality.

Saturday

16:00 - 17:30 CET

Considering Evidence, Artifacts & Heirlooms: Queer Home 2020 with Tony Whitfield

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For months, spaces we have occupied have been limited to our bodies in environments we have constructed and call “home.” For many queer people, the nature and contents of those spaces reflect of our histories and understandings of our relationship to worlds outside as well as conscious manifestations of our longings. This workshop will examine how our homes embed evidence, artifacts and heirlooms that express of our needs, defenses, aspirations and love of our selves.

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Tony Whitfield is an artist, designer, and writer whose theater work has been shown by La MaMa, ETC. and his artworks in solo exhibitions at HOWL! Happening in NYC, the Instituto Cultural Peruano Norteamericano in Lima, Centre LGBTQ and NUIT BLANCHE 2017 in Paris, and in group exhibitions in galleries and museums including Village.Berlin, NYC’s Museum of Art and Design, Leslie Lohman Museum, The Pop-Up Museum of Queer History and published in the US and abroad.

Saturday

16:00 - 17:30 CET

LockDown / QueerFight with Marc Ben Boaz

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This workshop uses movement to explore the boundaries between play, assertion and aggression. We will take the wisdom and insight that PlayFight/QueerFight offers, and use it to encounter ourselves at a deeper level. We will experiment with our own experiences of joy, rage, anticipation, threat, confrontation, curiosity, and find new embodied responses to them. Previous experience of PlayFight/QueerFight isn’t necessary, and everyone is welcome to explore, and move, within their own limits.

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Marc has previously run PlayFight/QueerFight in London. He has a background in Judo, an expressive and improvised movement practice, and is a psychotraumatologist.

Saturday

18:00 - 19:15 CET

Sensual Body Journey with Tchivett

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In this workshop you will be guided into a fine awareness of your body and embark on a poetic trip of sensual movement and self eroticism. It is about self discovery and loving (there will be no facilitated masturbation), each participant will focus on themselves until a final closing sharing round. We will pay attention to many body parts and include the whole body. Clothing and camera are optional.

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Tchivett is a berlin based dancer, improviser and performer. He comes from france and has training in contemporary dance, butoh, performance art, somatic practices and martial arts. Since 2011 he creates his own solo pieces and workshops, and toured throughout europe on alternative scenes and in festivals. He also takes part in different constellations of dance creative group processes and research collectives seeking to develop artistic and political practices around dance, improvisation, self-organisation, queer culture and feminism.

Saturday

18:00 - 19:30 CET

Style your wig, bitch! with Renato Baldi

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Starting with a classic bob style wig, we will learn step by step how to give it an entertaining and glamorous style. For this creation, you will use the classical method of hair curling styling set. With a quite easy technique and a few pieces of equipment, we will turn a boring wig into a fantastic and chic coiffure.

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Renato Baldi is a French Parisian hair stylist based now in Berlin. He began his career working in several trendy hair salons in Paris le Marais. After some years he worked for the fashion industry (photo shooting, défilés couture, collection...). Finally he created his own space and managed it for ten years.

Saturday

18:00 - 19:00 CET

Stretch Lounge with Axel Peddersen

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We invite you to the Stretch lounge, an informal open space for discussion, reflection, saying hello and relaxing. Hosted by Axel on Saturday and Tony on Sunday.

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Axel lives in Berlin and does bodywork with the Pantarei Approach and embodied counseling. He has roots in the Copenhagen left/trans/queer activist scene and now uses embodiment to assist groups and people on their journeys towards living lives full of strength, compassion and resilience.

Saturday

20:00 - 21:00 CET

Love Temple
with DJ Imajinary (Maj)

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Imagine a rollercoaster GoGo party with a steamy music playlist and sexed up zoom participants creating a safe space to watch and be seen jerking twerking or f*cking. Public chat is encouraged with creative cams from across the globe. The main rules : CAMS ON, sex-positive vibes, no breakout rooms and unmute when you cum.

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DJ MAJ is a New Mexico based queer artist who has been co-producing the twice-monthly Radical Færie “Love Temple” since the early days of the pandemic and the start of the K(no)w Talent Show of the Radical Færies. Imagine a rollercoaster GoGo party with a steamy music playlist and sexed up zoom participants creating a safe space to watch and be seen jerking, twerking or f*cking, among other things. Public chat is encouraged with creative Cams from across the globe. The main rules : Cams On, sex-positive vibes, no breakout rooms and you can (if you like) unmute when you cum. All genders & bodies welcome.

Saturday

23:30 - 02:30 CET

Every Day is 'Today' with David James

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In my earlier Stretch work exploring cross-generational conversations, isolation and social fragmentation were major LGBT challenges. Today, we need to be each other’s neighbours even more, consciously listening, building community, sharing perspectives, weaving a stronger social fabric, each of us recognising our unique value to each other, while gently nurturing ourselves each day. Am I living as fully and richly as I can at this moment? Am I open to sharing? Being curious? Let’s talk!

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David James has worked as a theatre maker in New York, LA, London and Melbourne, currently leading BOOK Music & Lyrics, a professional development programme for musical theatre writers, composers, lyricists & directors.
He began spiritual awareness joining Al-Anon in 1985, leading beginners’ sessions at the Manhattan Gay & Lesbian Community Centre. He later studied with Louise Hay, Bernie Siegel and Stephen Levine, and was a founding member of Cynthia O’Neil’s Friends In Deed.

Sunday

10:00 - 11:30 CET

Queer Sound Healing Immersion with Mathew Bergan & Jonny Seymour

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Queer Sound Healing is an immersive sound journey into the deep nature of being; an embodied soulful healing ritual, celebrating queerdom & survival. It offers a ceremonial space for LGBTQI people to acknowledge the deep truths about who they are & presents the potential to awaken to the higher Self. A multi-sensory transcendental sonic meditation designed to uplift the Soul & improve mental health. It includes ritual, body work, narrative therapy, sound, song, vibroacoustic therapy.

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Facilitators are Stereogomous, including Paul Mac & Jonny Seymour with Matthew Bergan, one of Sydney’s leading identities in yoga & former queer performance artist. Over the past 25 years Seymour & Mac have been producing & DJ’ing electronic music, Bergan has been exploring yoga, Tantra & urban spiritualism. Stereogamous remixes include LCD Soundsystem, Rufus Du Sol, George Michael & Kylie

Sunday

10:00 - 11:30 CET

Rehearsal for a Culture of Relating with Kai Ehrhardt

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This exploration fuses elements of honest communication, movement, sounds, play and witnessing before shifting into an open space of unpredictable relational and communal composition. Together, we will inspire curiosity, compassion and insight about who we are in our encounters with others.

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Kai is a breath therapist based on Prof. Ilse Middendorf’s work, a Continuum teacher, holds the German Heilpraktiker license for psychotherapy and co-founded the Somatic Academy of Berlin. He created Authentic Eros – Explorations for Men & For and Beyond all Genders and curates the STRETCH and the BODY IQ festivals. In 2016 he initiated Village.Berlin.
He believes that the conscious body and the reclaiming of Eros are crucial elements in our evolution toward an integral way of life. Kai teaches since 2002 in Europe and in the US.

Sunday

11:00 - 12:30 CET

Bow to Yourself - Scores for Playful Fighting with Dorian Bonelli

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When you forget all your dualistic ideas, everything becomes your teacher, and everything can be the object of worship.” Shunryu Suzuki Playfight is an encounter between dominance and dance and a field of creativity that undermines habits of competition. A playground that frees us from attitudes of othering. From here we can start a creative process using verbal instructions as inspiration. By getting into contact with another man´s power we get into contact with our own unique expression of strength. Bring pen and paper. Open Cam obligatory.

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Dorian Bonelli twin artist pansexual bike messenger performer writer non-duality shape-shifting tasks scores minimalism trans animal movement playfight vienna berlin collective creativity

Sunday

13:00 - 14:30 CET

What is erotic or sexual energy? with Maevon Canter

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What do we mean when we talk about sexual or erotic energy? What is the difference between this and other types of energy? Where does it reside and how can we work with it? After creating a joint working space and a brief spoken introduction this will be a practical session where we will each explore these questions using our own bodies as our laboratories and sharing our results to inspire further discoveries.

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Maevon has pursued an informal exploration of spirituality and movement for over 30 years. He has studied Fine Art and The Alexander Technique and calls himself a Radical Faerie. In 2009 Maevon began studying somatic practices with Authentic Eros and certified as a Sacred Intimate in the Body Electric tradition. He has partially spent his lockdown exploring Self-pleasuring in self-isolation (self-pleasulation) with a like-minded group, which is where this mediation originated.

Sunday

13:00 - 14:30 CET

Sex-positive/fetish munch with Harvey Rabbit

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Something that I am missing even more than darkrooms and play parties is the opportunity to meet each other in sex-positive spaces and share information about sex and kink. I'd like to invite you to dress up in your favorite fetish gear and spend an hour with like minded individuals to talk about kink and maybe even flirt a bit! This space will be moderated in English. Open to all.

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Harvey Rabbit (He|Him) is a trans filmmaker, photographer and pervert. He is a bdsm practitioner, (dominant switch) specializing in rope bondage and different forms of consensual sadism.

Sunday

13:00 - 14:00 CET

Poetry and Embodiment
with Michael Gilroy

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Keats said
“touch has a memory”,
and
Touch is something I notice is not available to a lot of us right now..
And maybe poetry can ‘act ‘
As way in to this
Present moment
that touch sometimes can do..
We will explore together
how poetry can
Open our field of
awareness.

‘My lips got lost on the way to the kiss - that's how drunk I was.’
Rumi

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Mike Gilroy Is Boston based, Irish born, Eclectic lover of Poetry and nature.
He has been a member of The Eastonmountainmens community for 11 years. He has a history of frolicking with diverse community’s: from Body Electric school
to Authentic Eros & the Radical Fairies & as a facilitator for a local lgbt Catholic group .
He spends time as a Community builder and as a Facilitator with Meditation and Working for Peace.

Sunday

15:00 - 16:00 CET

Energy, Improvisation & Meditative Movement with Eddy Lathan

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Class intention focuses on bringing meditative exercises/techniques, improvised movement and self care techniques into a singular practice that is well rounded and grounded. Class begins with pranayama exercises followed by guided energy work techniques into self massage. We will then lead into a round of sun salutations that will lead into guided movement exercises including sensory depravation meditation, and interpretive improvised meditative movement. Class concludes with savasana and a positive affirmation exercise.

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Eddy 'damoN' Lathan IV is a multidisciplinary artist, dance, fitness and yoga teacher from Brooklyn, New York. He trained, studied and danced with The Hip Hop Dance Conservatory (H+) in New York City from 2008 - 2013. He received his YTT 200 and meditation teacher certification in Goa, India in 2019. He is the Co-Founder and lead instructor for NuDance (2015 - Present; www.nudance.nyc). Eddy is also a member of Dancers Unlimited NYC (https://duhawaii.com/)

Sunday

16:00 - 17:30 CET

God Is Androgynous / Reclaiming Religion with Gal Naor

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This lecture-discussion will suggest new perspectives around the function of faith, spirituality, and religion, and their redefinition by our community. As well as highlight the critical role our community has in the salvation of humankind during this transformative era, welcoming the Age of Aquarius. Some of the topics we’ll discuss: The ancient role of Transgender people in the religious institution (and their future role); The Future is Female; Unconditional Love & the Third Temple vision.

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Gal Naor is an Israeli Sign Language interpreter, body-mind researcher, and founder of The progressive wave, a Berlin-based performative initiative. In their work, they combine dance, performance art, visual art, and consciousness studies. Their approach to the performance world is inclusive and based on the understanding that each body should move in its unique way. Including a diverse range of performers, their work is encouraging the empowerment of queer identities.

Sunday

16:00 - 17:15 CET

Introduction to Belly Dance Fusion with Yoni Biyé

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Let's engage in a thought experiment about the origins of dance as a reaction to music. I will show you how I let the music decide when and how I move. The workshop will progress through movements from different styles to create a combination, before we finish off the class with a cooldown to recenter ourselves.

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Yoni is a transnational fusion artist whose style focuses on theatrical elements and subtle plays on the musicality of the songs he works with. His technique is based in explorations of Central Asian and MENA dance styles, as well as a strong foundation in Egyptian folkloric and Turkish classical dance.

Sunday

16:00 - 17:00 CET

Race, Sex, and The Future: Reimagining Masculinity in Unprecedented Times with Khary Polk

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In a moment of global pandemic and protests against racism, has manhood lost its meaning? How might intersectionality, a concept formed by black feminists, help us forge new connections between different communities of men? In this guided conversation, participants will think about the intersections that exist between and among masculine-identified people, and consider how our evolving ideas of race, sexuality, eros, and community can create a more liberated and politically liberating view of masculinity.

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Khary Polk is an Associate Professor of Black Studies & Sexuality, Women's and Gender Studies at Amherst College. He has taught at the JFK Institute for North American Studies at the Freie Universität Berlin, and has written for a number of queer anthologies, including Why Are Faggots So Afraid of Faggots?: Flaming Challenges to Masculinity Objectification, and the Desire to Conform, If We Have To Take Tomorrow, Corpus, and Think Again.

Sunday

18:00 - 19:15 CET

Drag and the Performance of Gender with Wil Fisher

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In this playful and experiential workshop we will discuss gender performance and drag. We will share our experiences performing our own gender and with performing gender(s) outside of our own. Participants are encouraged to bring a few pieces of drag to play with as we explore how drag can help us embrace performing gender in new and experimental ways.

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Wil Fisher is a life coach, facilitator, and drag queen! Wil spent many years in NYC where he earned his MA in Applied Theater, performed a solo show he wrote and produced, raised money for nonprofits, co-founded a company called Man Question, and created his drag alter ego, Sylvia London. After NYC, he served as executive director of an LGBTQ retreat center. He is a certified life coach and founder of Willfully Living in San Diego.

Sunday

18:00 - 19:00 CET

Stretch Lounge with Tony Just

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We invite you to the Stretch lounge, an informal open space for discussion, reflection, saying hello and relaxing. Hosted by Axel on Saturday and Tony on Sunday.

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Tony Just is an artist from America and lives in Berlin, and has studied meditation for three years with Axel Müller. He uses a combination of techniques, eye to eye or partner meditation and also guided meditation using colors to represent different emotions. He regularly hosts the village meditation and healing spaces.

Sunday

20:00 - 21:00 CET

Staying with my Experience with Julian Crotti

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The more I exercise my capacity to stay present with my own experience, the more I welcome my responsibility to remain in my body and connected to its knowledge and intuition, the more of me is available for connection. These are simple steps that the body knows how to do and if done well and regularly open up a world of possibility and information when relating to one person, a group of people and the wider world/universe. Join me for an exploration into the simplicity and pleasure of human relating.

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Julian Is a student and practitioner of Relational Whole Body Focusing, an experiential therapeutic method that looks to re-establish, strengthen and celebrate connection with the body's own wisdom and knowing.

Sunday

20:30 - 22:00 CET

Cum Together with Julian Martin

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In this meditation and masturbation ritual we can switch between different roles, experiment with them and try things out. Celebrate with other men* your body, your genitals, your lust and your arousal. Slip into the role of an exhibitionist or voyeur. Be as 'shameless' or restrained as it is right for you. You can change your role at any time. Clothing, nudity and masturbation are welcome.

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Julian originally studied acting, singing and dance before he discovered his passion for massage and bodywork. He regularly organises and leads courses for men and weekend workshops in Zürich under the title of “Men Bodywork”. The main areas of work are breath, voice, movement, touch, self-acceptance and the discovery and expression of your own needs as the key to a free and fulfilling (sex) life.

Sunday

20:30 - 22:00 CET

Authentic Relating Games with Laurie King

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Authentic Relating is an interpersonal meditation. It is the practice of acting and speaking from a place of heartfelt vulnerability and deep presence, allowing us to be in alignment with our deepest feelings and weave a more rich and truthful human experience. You are invited to play three Authentic Relating games in a safe, non-judgemental space.

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Laurie is based between New Zealand and Scotland. He has a deep passion for bringing people together in safe, warm, supportive environments, and recognises how fundamental connection is to contentment and well being. Since August 2019, he has been on a mission to make Authentic Relating more accessible through facilitating workshops and retreats across the world.

Monday

10:00 - 11:30 CET

Psychedelic Healing, Connecting with Psilocybin (magic mushrooms) and Other Entheogens with Amit Elan

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Let's explore, in this workshop, the fascinating topic of Psychedelics - their benefits, magic, potential, vulnerabilities, and challenges. We'll discuss what contemporary rituals/ceremonies are, the importance of preparation, setting, integration, and the future of psychedelic therapies.
We will do this through some fun, playful, experiential exercises, and interacting connecting our body-mind-spirits with each other.

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Amit is a lead facilitator at Kiyumí Psychedelic Retreats. These are legal, safe retreats in the Netherlands, utilizing Psilocybin, supported by a team of specialists.
Strong interest in studies of plant medicines, psychedelics, therapy, and shamanism, led him to research the plant world over a decade ago, before learning with the Shipibo medicine people in the Peruvian Amazons. Over the last 3 years, Amit has facilitated psychedelic group, and individual processes for hundreds of people.

Monday

10:00 - 11:30 CET

Private Dances with Luke George

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One on one.
Cam to cam.
Give your watcher a show.
A private show.
Just the two of you.
Embody the fantasy.
Embrace the voyeur.
Performance is the moment when we can invite being seen and present ourselves fully.
Get creative (music, lighting, costume, props, camera) - work with what you have available.
This workshop will be a supportive and daring space for everyone to release inhibitions and have some fun performing.
Clothing optional.

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Luke George is an artist, ropeworker, bodyworker and performer exploring intimate connections between people. Based in Narrm-Melbourne and with an international practice, Luke is passionate about the potential for healing and transformation through touch and energy exchange. With a focus on queer people, Luke’s work explores the dynamics of intimacy by creating ‘safe spaces’ that allow for care as well as risk.

Monday

11:00 - 12:00 CET

Crossing the Bridge - a workshop for partners with Tim Foskett

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Developed from a co-counselling basis, Crossing the Bridge is a structure created by Hedy Schleifer to enable one partner to deeply listen as the other partner shares information, feelings and experience from their interior world. A chance to practice the discipline of bracketing your own world, crossing the bridge to your partner’s world, and deeply taking them in. Literally, into-me-see.

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Tim is an individual and group psychotherapist with over 25 years experience of working with people and groups. He is a director of Loving Men and has a private practice in London where he sees individuals, people in relationships, runs on-going therapy groups for gay/bi men and supervises other practitioners. He has written a number of interactive workbooks for gay/bi men on self-esteem, relationships and sex, which you can download for free on www.timfoskett.com.

Monday

13:00 - 14:30 CET

InFATuation with the Fat Mäksias with Mäks Roßmöller

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Body? HELL YEAH! But when it comes to your belly fat, body negative anti-fat logics are deeply internalized and hard to challenge. There is no other tissue with such a bad reputation regarding health, performance and desirability.
Let’s gain a new frame with Mäks favorite fat facts and sense into the many gifts our fat tissue grants us unconditionally, invite peacefulness and whisper thanks to the silky honeycombs of fat.

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Mäks is a psychologist, systemic therapist, artist and somatic practitioner (Somatic Academy Berlin), centering their work around fat tissue on a collective and cellular level. Asking themself how to transform the traces of discrimination in the body to build resilient communities, the endgame is the anticapitalist revolution_transformation! Their positioning is relevant because powerstructures doesn’t end at the door of somatics: They are queer, fat, middleclass, nonbinary transgender, white. And excited to meet you. Insta: the_fat_maksias

Monday

16:00 - 17:30 CET

Somatic Meditation with Coral Short

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We will introduce ourselves with name, pronoun and a one word check in so you can briefly connect. You are welcome to sit on a cushion on the floor, a chair, or lie down. First we will go into a guided meditation for 20 minutes, then somatic exercises for 10 minutes and end with a silent sitting 20 minutes feeling into the new sensations. After this Coral will lead a loving kindness meditation. For the discussion section we will be answering a question around body experience and we will go into break out rooms to discuss for 10 minutes. Then we will close the meditation journey together with some deep breaths.

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Coral Short has meditated in the tradition of Insight/ Theraveda for 13 years. They have sat over 100 days in complete silence in retreat. Lately, they have completed 3 years of intensive Buddhist studies in a course called Living the Heart of Wisdom with their teacher Daryl Lynn Ross. Coral is studying with Staci Haines now in the field of Generative Somatics. They are currently in teacher training with the True North Insight in Montréal, Québec.

Monday

16:00 - 17:00 CET

Final Closing Ceremony

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Monday

19:30 - 21:00 CET

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