BME: Body Modification Ezine

A tattooed person suspends from hooks, laying flat, one leg higher than the other. Their head is back, and they seem to be smiling, dark hair dangling like an anime character.

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Tag: Suspension Conventions

  • The best of the best

    Written by

    Sean Philips

    At the Dallas Suspension Practitioners Convention, where the best of the best  in the suspension community work together, you get to see the best of modern suspension rigging.

    Take this photo Jared submitted for instance. The most noticeable variation of the rigging is the catch cups. How many times have we seen tandem suspensions done that took no precautions to reduce the risk of the lower suspendee being contaminated by the upper suspendee? These catch cups may not 100% isolate the lower suspendee from risk of contamination but they certainly lower the risk factor to a far more acceptable level.

    The cord I am assuming is tech-12, (feel free to correct me if you were there and I am wrong on this) which has a ridiculously higher breaking strength than the 550 cord most suspension teams still use. Then there are the hooks, these particular hooks are made by Black Sheep Hooks and are an 8 gauge locking design with a higher breaking strength and the added  safety factor of it being a locked design when compared to the mustads, which are far more commonly used. Then, of course, there is also an assortment of locking carabiners and high rated shackles.

    If you want to keep up with the latest and greatest in suspension techniques and equipment, be sure to check out the SusCon picture recently uploaded to this gallery , and also read up on the forums at suspension.org.

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  • From The Vault: Mark’s Rotisserie Suspension (Video updated: more footage!)

    Written by

    Sean Philips

    TSD was the original (modern) suspension crew and a lot of the amazing feats of engineering and artistry the members of TSD and there associates have come up still stand the test of time and many have not been duplicated or surpassed. I was thrilled to see another email from Ron Garza, with a picture, video and story about Mark’s rotisserie suspension circa 2003.

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    For a video of another one of Mark’s rotisserie suspensions, and to hear Ron tell the tale, keep on keeping on .

    The story as told by Ron:

    When I was  involved with  the old TSD group back in the mid 90′s most of us back then had our  own individual visions of what suspensions were to us back then. It was a much different  time and suspensions were still relatively a new thing and there wasn’t one way to do anything or  just one mindset as to what suspensions were back then. There wasn’t  really people  doing this everywhere or pictures online to give  people preconceived notions  as to what a suspension were or could be.
    The few of us that were into this stuff all talked and  worked together and brought our own individual ideas, thoughts and visions to suspensions. We all differed in that  aspect as well as out reasoning for  being involved  in this.  You  really saw this when you look at we did individually when everyone moved away or did solo stuff and started  their own personal  groups.
    Steve  Joyner (  of CoRE fame), with  his excellent use of make up ,costumes,  plots and  show themes really brought  more theatre to suspensions and took the emphasis off the act of suspenions, Allen with  his  intense  solo shows and large group projects, Oliver Gilson whose engineering take on everything has changed not only larger suspension projects and hook designs but also whose rigging style has influenced many and taken suspension rigging into  an artistic realm  that is easily  recognizable.
    My whole deal with suspensions has always not only been multi-person suspension projects, but also  high tension kinetic suspensions.  This clip was one of my favorite things we  pulled off.  It was from an early MAYHEM  show in Austin Tx  back in 2003 I want to say.  Mark Rose at the time was one of our hardest  suspension models/hook monkeys  who thrived on being able to take a large amount of intense stuff. This one  threw  him into  shock and broke him. He  still did this 2 more times at least that i can think of. I’m just glad someone had a camera around this time!

    This 360 frame was created by Tom Moore  from Steel Fetish.

  • A little more fingering fun

    Written by

    Sean Philips

    I know quite a bit of you modbloggers were a wee bit disturbed when I posted the pictures of Ala’s open wound fingering, so you can imagine how thrilled I was when Jamie sent me these pictures from the recent Dallas Suscon.

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    The pics are of me getting a hole in my arm fingered by my boyfriend. This happened after the two of us did a forearm suspension on a spinning beam together. I was prepared for some tearing on my arms with doing this suspension, but we were both somewhat excited when I ended up with a hole in my arm big enough for Biohazard to get a few fingers in. Tearing hooks is of course not usually something to aim for, but in this case the result was sexy! I suppose the slogan for the event was right – ‘Even bad ideas are bigger in Texas’. Haha

    For a close up shot of the “open wound fingering”, keep on keeping on.

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  • Happy birthday Chuck!

    Written by

    Sean Philips

    If you have ever suspended, watched a suspension, thought about suspending or even just enjoyed a photo of a suspension, you should probably go wish this old fart a happy birthday.

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    This picture took place at the recent Dallas Suspension Practitioners Convention. What this photo doesn’t show well is the fact Allen and Samar are gracefully balanced and rotating on a spinning beam. Photo credit goes to Rolf, who took dozens of awesome pictures of the event.

  • One Helluva Party

    Written by

    Sean Philips

    Lot’s of our readers know Allen Falkner as THE major innovator in modern suspension. This is an accurate way to think of him, but around Dallas he is known for more than just hanging from hooks. In Dallas, as well as beyond, Allen is also infamous for his ability to throw one hell of a party.

    The Freaks and Fetish event is the preparty for The 2010 Dallas Suspension Practitioners Convention and will take place on Friday April 2nd. This year’s event will showcase performers and guests from around the world:

    -World champion pole dancer Pantera Blacksmith

    -Finland’s Snake Oil Sideshow

    -The Return of Pain Solution from Norway

    -Of course, returning to the role of MC is everyone’s favorite green darlin’, The Lizardman!

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    With all of the freakish thrills and sexy frills, this is a party you won’t want to miss.
    For more information and ticket prices please visit The Church.

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