EDGEs
EDGE (Extended Development, Growth, and Education) groups are made up of APEX members who all share a common interest in learning, teaching, and developing skills. Each EDGE is a peer-to-peer learning environment that facilitates practice and sharing knowledge in a particular subject area.
Monthly EDGEs
Non-Monogamy
The Non-Monogamy EDGE is designed to provide a safe space for non-monogamous individuals (in all its various forms) to dive into deeper discussion of the complications and joys of the non-monogamous world. This EDGE is committed to promoting understanding, respect, empathy, and community as we navigate diverse relationship dynamics within non-monogamy (while living in a mononormative world).
During this group, we will tackle topics such as effective communication, boundary setting, emotion management (yes, this includes jealousy), navigating complex relationship circumstances, and ethical practices in our non-monogamous journeys. We will share our insights, experiences, tips, tricks, and tools to help create a community of non-monogamous folks that can learn, share, and connect through engaging and relating to one another.
Impact
The Impact EDGE is a place for us to get together and learn new techniques and skills related to impact play.
The topic each month is chosen by those who attend the previous month, so if you want your opinion heard, want to choose the topic, please attend and speak up!
Bring your favorite toy or two and a willing partner if you want to practice some of the techniques of the demo. As always, there are opportunities for you to try this, examine the toys, ask questions and get guided practice!
Floggers & Whippers
Floggers are one of the most commonly used implements for impact play. The Floggers EDGE provides D/types, switches, and s/types opportunities to develop and improve flogging skills and styles, and to promote safety awareness and informed consent practices in a peer-to-peer setting. We will discuss topics such as flogger impact on the body, basic fundamentals, advanced technical skills such as Florentine flogging and body mechanics, as well as types of floggers, rhythm, artistic styles, how personal backgrounds influence styles, and more. s/types are encouraged to attend in order to learn about safe flogging play and through informed consent, assist D/types in improving their skills.
Within BDSM play, whips are one of the most fascinating implements used for impact play. The Whipper’s EDGE is designed to bring individuals across all skill levels to share experiences and knowledge. We will discuss topics such as the anatomy of a whip, how dangerous it can be, throwing techniques, rhythm, puffs vs cracks, how bottoms can get ramped up to take a crack, and more.
Woo & BDSM
We hear it talked about, maybe we even think we understand it, there are many misconceptions. During this EDGE we’ll explore what we call ‘woo’ in BDSM. Woo can be described as the spirituality and energy that exists in and around us, and we will explore how to use that energy in our play scenes. Exchanging energy with our play partners during scenes can cause deep connections to form, and we will discuss how to either capitalize on that or ways to avoid it, depending on personal preferences. In addition to hyper-focused connections, including woo in BDSM can lead to deeply profound interpersonal emotional experiences, catharsis, and can cause triggers.
Through holding space, intense sensations, power exchange, eliminating thought-squirrels, meditation, energy exchange, rituals, and more, we can shift our mental state, transcending pain to another psychological and physical plane. By tapping into connection, pain, power and/or sex, we reach these higher states. Join us to discuss what woo is, how to get to those higher levels during play, why it’s important, the means we use to transcend our bodies, our fears and/or pain to reach sub or top space and connect with our partners on a new and deeper level.
Open Rope Gym
Open dungeon space for hands-on rope enthusiasm!
Bring yourself, your rope, and your ideas, questions, conversation.
Quarterly EDGEs
Photography
The APEX Photography EDGE is for those interested in exploring photography and building skills in various parts of the photography process. Throughout the year, we’ll cover topics from photography basics to lighting to post-production.