The Boring Dojo
A-Nicolas’ rope dojo (also called A-Nicolas’ Rope Dojo) teaches a minimalist, movement-based approach to kinbaku through a 2026-2027 season of monthly floorwork, suspension and ‘tying deeper’ sessions, week-long intensives and weekend introductions.
The Boring Dojo is the current Brussels dojo of the rope artist, teacher and photographer A-Nicolas, who worked for years under the name Yoroï Nicolas. His about page says he began exploring rope in 1999, studied in Japan between 2005 and 2010 with Arisue Go among other teachers, started teaching and performing in France in 2011 and opened a dojo in Brussels in 2015. It counts the dojo opened in 2024 as his fifth in the city. After returning to Europe he developed his own way of tying, which he calls Yoroi-ryu. The dojo’s home page describes a friendly space for physical, emotional and artistic exploration rooted in Japanese bondage, drawing also on dance, massage, martial arts, performance and medical knowledge, and names respect, kindness, sharing, listening and discipline as its values.
Teaching is organized as a yearly season in which classes build on each other rather than repeat. For 2026–2027 the dojo runs a monthly weekend: Friday evenings for “Tying Deeper”, Saturday afternoons for floor work and half suspension, and Sunday afternoons for suspension. The floor curriculum lists the gote, karada, one-rope leg work and the organization of a scene in time and space. The suspension track covers the basics and the start of transitions, with attention to stress training, flow and safety strategy. Entry is staged: suspension requires a full floor cycle or the first intensive week, and “Tying Deeper” requires a full suspension cycle or the second week. The dojo recommends a year of study per subject and says both tying and being tied are taught.
Beside the monthly series come three intensive weeks, billed as five-day trainings (floor to suspension in October 2026, suspension in February 2027 and “installation and play” in June 2027), a two-day introductory weekend for newcomers in February 2027, switch workshops, research weekends on body manipulation, performance, one rope and movement, and weekends with international presenters. The season page also lists a workshop in London and a tour of Canada in May 2027.
The open rope jam runs on most Thursday evenings from September 2026 to June 2027; in November 2026 entry cost €15. It is free of alcohol and drugs, bans photos and recordings, keeps sex out of play and welcomes beginners, solo visitors and LGBTQ people. The space is on a third floor reached by stairs. The site is in English.