Kissing Dojo

A workshop by Noam Raz.

In this Dojo, we are going to kiss a lot. With many different people, in many different constellations. Exploring what kind of relationship and dynamics a kiss could build, tuning in to its mechanics and different physical and emotional nuances. We will work and play slowly and gradually, giving time to process and digest the experience as it happens, going back and forth from stimulation to regulation and verbalization.

The workshop will begin with a solo somatic (Feldenkrais inspired) warm up, to get into dialogue with the body. Spending some time with sensations and impulses, without the relational element. From there we will move into partner work, gently introducing contact and consent. Participants are encouraged to say no, or check and then say no (or yes).

This exploration is intended for anyone interested in exploring lip to lip contact in a methodical and detailed way. The stress will be on how to build the ability to listen, to each other and to myself, inside this exciting act. How to communicate (verbally and non verbally) and make space for all emotions and parts of myself that come up. Roughly half of the workshop is devoted to preparation before lip-to-lip contact, using forms of touch and interaction that most people find comfortable with anyone.

Come wearing comfortable clothes for movement. Couples are welcome to join, with the understanding that partner changes are an essential part of this Dojo.

A note on Gender

An assistant will help with pairing, though we can’t guarantee partners of a specific gender in any exercise. If at any point you don’t wish to participate in a specific exercise, you can always step aside and rejoin in the next round.

While the last thing I want is to encourage anyone to kiss with someone they don’t want to, I think this workshop could be an opportunity to engage in kissing in a very different context than usual. Sometimes this might include, for example, kissing someone of a gender you wouldn’t normally kiss. I don’t believe this automatically defines or changes your sexuality — it can be simply a frame to explore yourself and gender dynamics. That said, this is by no means required. I believe such experiments are only valuable if you feel genuine curiosity, not if you are doing it just because I suggested it.