Lani De Viate – DV8House

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The adventure began in 2006 on one of my first visits to Hellfire, Sydney. Here I met a man called Mark (who I’d heard very good things about); including that he loved to tie people up. I smiled at him and asked: "Excuse me? If you’re not busy would you like to tie me?" His answer was: "Hell yeah!" I soon discovered the magic beneath the strands and Mark has been tying me up ever since.

Mark has been tying since he entered the scene in 2001, and his style has been strongly influenced by his friend, Osada Steve. Together we have perfected our own unique style of Japanese inspired rope bondage. I fast became known for my signature rapid transitions and acrobatic manoeuvres in rope suspension, and this earned me the local nickname of ‘flygirl’, which stuck – and has followed me all over the world.

We have performed in many a venue, with audiences ranging from 10 to 1500 people, across Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Japan. Some of these events include; Sensual Ball; Hellfire; New Zealand Fetish Ball; and some of the highest honours – Toubaku and Japan Fetish Ball. Our signature twists and turns, rockin' and rollin', and the intense power and energy exchange we share, continue to inspire all that see.

Partnering with Mark has brought many an opportunity to my life, and by the end of 2006 we were travelling overseas to present classes in the United States and New Zealand. With (almost) annual trips to the United States, and frequently visiting Japan (our escape-from-reality-holidays), we have been lucky to meet many wonderful like minded rope lovers along the way. As rope is our pleasure – we get so much satisfaction out of inspiring other like-minded people and friends.

At Xplore in 2011, I was lucky enough to attend a spontaneous self-suspension class of Asahi Ageha’s. This was a rare chance to learn some skills from a very talented performance artist, and it opened my eyes to another new dimension of rope. It was like love at first sight – and another perfect addition to our performance repertoire.

I live in Sydney with my partner Mark of 8 years, and my co-partner Aleni De Viate. Together we live in a polyamorous relationship of long standing, and we enjoy playing, teaching and performing as DV8House, Sydney.