Seattle Erotic Arts Festival- 5/2/205
I was able to secure a ticket for the late night showing of the gallery. My service dog accompanied me for the event and we did some training around settings that have a lot of foot traffic. There were people in the audience who were in wheelchairs and one other service dog handler who we got spooked by for a second. My service dog was shocked to see another dog at the event! We took a break and cooled off outside. It has been lovely to work my dog in new spaces and its rare when we run into another team. It reminded me to work more on our walk by command. I felt welcomed and was able to explore the art exhibits and also listen to live djs. The music was a bit much at times, so I made sure to give my dog a lot of breaks. The venue was accessible and offered access for wheelchairs as noted and seats were spread throughout the room.
There was a bird cage, not pictured, that was the size for humans. There were figure drawing areas with plenty of seats and also variety in model poses. The venue welcomed both the kink and the arts. There was a stage for suspensions and also a small viewing area where there was even some live music for part of the evening. People were able to vote for their favorite pieces as well. The artists who win during this year are welcomed back next year. Vendors were along the back wall in a line. There were groups like “Seattle Men in Leather'“ or “Seattle Pups and Handlers” I believe it was the pups because of the cute hoods! There were a lot of vendors that I would love to support next year but I wanted to note the history of the kink community in this city. We have a lot of ways in which we show our pride and love.
Below is a bunch of photos of art that personally spoke to me. I tried to be able to get both the card and the associated art. There was everything from paintings, sculptures, and ceramics. I loved the use of color this year. Even within the photography of bondage shots there was something to the color effects that sets the mood. The lighting of the room and pieces set a tone of an overall experience. I am definitely fighting the urge to get more tickets. This is definitely an event that I would recommend to creatives, artists, art lovers, and kink people.
The outfits of those in the audience was a mix of styles from casual and covered to levels of undress. There was even a man wearing only a g string made of leather. There were many people in harnesses and I wore my collar by @smellmyleather. It was so nice to go to a space that holds this type of energy as that I have not been out to a dungeon in 5+ years now. The experience reminded me of my youth and to enjoy each moment even if its passing. There is so much to be grateful for amongst the grief of what we are losing. I feel that the art expressed a lot of messages that will relate to others.
Playground-in Ballard (Seattle, Washington)
I have more personalized to dancers information that is available by joining the union. (Strippersareworkers) There are also more conversations that we have after one person presents either their experiences or the contracts of the clubs themselves. With this club, there is one stage and both of the poles as of 5/1/2025 are static. This may impact some dancers’ stages if they are more inclined to pole tricks on the spinning pole. There are mirrors that allow everyone to be seen in the reflection of the stage. There are two ways on and off the stage.
Locker room was an upstairs area that had steep stairs with a turn into the main area of the club. There were limited lockers and lack of privacy (no door to the locker room). The people who I did get to speak with were all very kind and they are actively hiring. The girl before me did get hired.
The dance areas are a long couch that extends along a wall and parallel to it are small private rooms. It reminds me of the more dive clubs in Portland, Oregon. The waitress at the club when I was there was so kind, and we talked about the industry changes over the past 10 years. We talked about how men all have their particular way of enjoying the club. I love that we were able to connect about the deletion of some of the sites that used to exist before FOSTA / Sesta. We talked about how covid changed the market and how it’s harder to get people out of their homes and into the clubs.
This club may be small but was the home club to many dancers beginning of their journey in the industry. It makes it hard to process the changes or lack their of. Please know that my interviews, reviews, and audition reviews are only based upon my own experience. Clubs are very much going to hire who they believe will make money. It definitely affects the hiring process for any dancers who are alternative, not traditionally “attractive”, or what have you. These business decisions are not a reflection of your worth as a performer!
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The decision to be Publicly Known
I have had the worries of my name being released for ten years. It is one of every entertainers, vloggers, or streamers worst fear to have a privacy invasion like this. I had kept my name offline until hate forums had released it maliciously. It was hard to process in 2020 but so far largely has had little consequences for my in person life. I am of the few that can say that and know that those who released it have and will try to stalk me in the future. I learned however that my name is nothing more than an intro. I often go by Liminal or by Winona. So, when the Seattle Times had asked myself and another dancer to use our first names for an article; I was hesitant. I knew that reclaiming my image and association to name. I am able to be one of the few on this story because others were not able to. I already had bit that bullet years ago.
The opportunity to work with someone like the Seattle Times is opening my world up to a lot of eyes. I choose to put this publication under my legal last name. It is something that I have feared being said allowed in rooms that I am not that person in. I am more than what a name can contain and I wish to show you all of my journeys within this industry, traveling, and learning how to better show up for my community by interviewing them to hear their stories.