David
Thornby
Year of training:
V: 2018. D: 2017
Related qualification:
Vida and David both are CSSE. David has completed a year 3 project.
How many and what type of workshops/classes have you previously facilitated?
Around a dozen workshops in embodiment, erotic touch, online relating and consent, and playfulness. We have both presented together and separately at the last three FEASTs
What qualities do you bring to your facilitation?
D: Detailed organisation and planning, commitment to creating a space with values, humour, and openness. Substantial experience as a participant and reflection on my own experiences. I’m very invested in consent and the positive generation of safety in play spaces, and have a strong intellectual interest in all aspects of human sexuality.
V: I’m interested in the place where play and sexuality intersect. I believe that play is a powerful learning modality and am intent on creating a space to engage in this way.
I have a passion and attentiveness for safety and consent.
I have an attitude of sluttiness and smut, I’m interested in shadow integration and embrace the kinky and taboo aspects of sexual exploration in one on one and group settings.
What relevant skills and experience/qualifications do you have in addition to Sexological Bodywork?
D: Diploma of Counselling; INPI self-pleasure practitioner training, along with various pieces of group facilitation, organisation and outreach on the committee of the SSEAA over several years. I have organised, facilitated and presented at over 20 non-sexuality professional events over the last 20 years.
V: Most relevant are my skills and experience drawn from many years working in the adult industry. I have worked as a sex worker for the last seven years, and within this field my curiosity around desire and eroticism has flourished. I have a particular flair for communication, imagination, and education. Especially with people entirely new to sexuality outside of the usual paradigms.
Facilitator Bio
Vida has worked in various areas of the adult field for 15+ years. As a sex professional Vida works one on one with clients who wish to explore their eroticism, whether through kink and sluttiness, emotional intimacy, embodiment practice or conscious communication.
David has taught erotic embodiment to clients and groups for nearly 10 years. He is a Certified Somatic Sex Educator and former president of the SSEAA, with special interests in the body-mind and nervous system, erotic motivations, sex education ethics, mid-life sexual expression, and expanding orgasmicity.
Workshop 1 Name:
Non-erogenous eroticism: Where Do You Get Off?
# of participants:
30? Open to negotiation
Workshop 1 duration:
2 Hour Workshop
Equipment needed:
Speaker, Mic, Cushions
Workshop 1's Intention:
This is a habit-breaking workshop about exploring touch and erotic sensation in parts of the body we may not normally attend to. Participants are not just ‘receiving touch’; the intention is for charge, eroticism and arousal, and the giver is just as engaged in the erotic experience as the receiver. We intend to explore:
· Experience and evidence of slowing down sex as a positive, erotic thing to do
· Exploring less-sexy body parts and identifying turn-ons
· How to give and how to receive erotic touch, and capacity to reflect on what feels erotic
· Exploring the psychological parts of desire, including the sensation of longing
· Skill development in feeling for and asking for pleasure and touch
· Types of touch
· What else makes touch arousing? (attention, anticipation, devotion?) Investigating turn-on.
The vibe is trance-like, RnB, sensual, explicitly erotic.
Workshop 1 rough format:
Participants will organise a partner for themselves, either before or at the start of the workshop.
Roughly in order:
-group grounding and exploring non-erogenous arousal conceptually through eroticising a non-erotic activity
-explorations of How to Give and How to Receive, through embodied exploration and discussion
-In pairs (or solo as desired), participants identify non-erogenous body area/s, and explore giving and receiving erotic touch. They can intend and experience devotion, reflection, communication, connection etc
-The experience is completed with a follow-follow exercise where giving and receiving arousing touch occurs with a partner simultaneously
-Sharing, verbally or through demonstration, of interesting experiences had by the participants
-A short devotional ending
Workshop 1 program description:
Where do you get off?
This is a space for super-charged arousal, exploring the parts of our bodies that want to get involved in sex, but never get the chance. We will be leaving the usual erogenous zones and entering into new, sexy territory. This is a levelling-up workshop for exploring exquisite touch, desire, and turn-on--in the body and mind, not the genitals.
Does W1 actively invite nudity?
Yes, it is a key part of the process
Workshop 2 Name:
The Hole Community
# of participants:
20
Workshop 2 duration:
2 Hour Workshop
Equipment needed:
Speaker, Mic, Cushions
Workshop 2's Intention:
This is a rare opportunity for participants to learn, begin, or extend their anal pleasure practice, hands on with a partner. They will practice giving and receiving external anal touch. This practice will be held in a space for communal vulnerability and reverence for the hole, but does not shy away from real touch on real holes.
We emphasise pleasure in the whole arse, not just the arse hole, and bring the practice of arse veneration back to the community.
Workshop 2 rough format:
Opening with a collective bottom breath practice and several small-group activities that let participants speak about and to their holes, and see and celebrate the holes of each other and of us all.
We demonstrate the use and disposal of gloves and how the logistics of the workshop will be run for maximum health and safety, and then demonstrate several external anal strokes.
In pairs, the group takes turns giving and receiving these strokes at length, and then reflecting on what brings them pleasure and down-regulation.
We end with some group reflection and another shared breath practice.
Workshop 2 program description:
The anus and the whole body exist in a virtuous circle of down-regulation: relaxation permits anal play; and anal play deeply encourages relaxation. In this workshop, we offer a space to learn and experience gentle, delightful, external anal touch. Anal play can be a tension-reducing practice of ‘what can I let go of’, as well as ‘what feels good’?
As part of the Hole Community, we can experience, learn, deepen, and release our fears and stories into genuine delight.
Does W2 actively invite nudity?
Yes, it is a key part of the process
Workshop 3 Name:
Groovin’ the Goo: a sloshy slime boogie
# of participants:
We anticipate a maximum of 30-40 in the slosh pit at one time, but a larger group of people could be entering and leaving the pit during the party.
Workshop 3 duration:
2 Hour Workshop
Equipment needed:
Speaker, Mic
Workshop 3's Intention:
This is a space to practice free expression, giving a break from the structure of workshops for play and to interact with others. The intention is to play, not explicitly genitally/sexually, but it invites forming closer physical bonds with the FEAST community. We invite freedom of movement and unique physical sensations, to bring altered mood, joy, and connection.
Workshop 3 rough format:
We intend to offer a space with gel/lube for a large group of people to have a free tussle, slip and slide and horizontal boogie together. We will supply phat beats and a lovingly attended space. The offer is for a freestyle space potentially held outside of workshop times, perhaps over lunch, to let people drop into embodied play.
Workshop 3 program description:
Groovin’ the Goo invites you into a delicious slip ‘n’ slide made of nuru gel and good tunes. Unwind completely; bring your body, curiosity and playfulness, and let the lubrication do the rest. Let us invite you into a sloshy sanctuary of free movement and wild delight: a celebration of being.
Does W3 actively invite nudity?
It's optional but not a central part
Are you happy to facilitate support pods?
Fuck yes!
Are you interested in contributing to/facilitating at pre-retreat events
We would like more detail about this!
Is there anything else that you would like us to know as organisers?