The people you came to learn from.

Nick Blum is a TEDx speaker whose work explores one of the defining questions of our time: What does healthy masculinity actually look like?

For years, Nick searched for that answer in places where men have traditionally sought strength - Martial arts, leadership, achievement, and discipline. As a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt with nearly two decades on the mats, he learned that real strength is measured not by aggression or dominance, but by presence, emotional regulation, humility, and the ability to create safety under pressure.

That search eventually expanded beyond physical practice into deep personal work. Through men's circles, retreats, somatic practices, and mentoring relationships, Nick immersed himself in the inner dimensions of masculinity. He has both participated in and facilitated men's circles and volunteered alongside somatic relationship coaches, helping create spaces where men can move beyond performance and rediscover authenticity, accountability, and emotional connection.

Nick's TEDx Talk on Healthy Masculinity challenges the false choice many men feel between suppressing themselves and embracing hyper-aggressive models of manhood. Instead, he presents a vision of masculinity rooted in grounded strength, integrity, emotional courage, healthy boundaries, and the capacity to hold space for others.

Professionally, Nick works in business development and partnerships, giving him a unique perspective on leadership, communication, and human behavior across diverse environments. Whether speaking from a stage, sitting in circle, or coaching through lived experience, his passion is helping men embody a form of masculinity that strengthens relationships, communities, and themselves.

At this festival, Nick invites participants into an honest conversation about masculine energy. Not as an identity to defend or reject, but as a force that can become deeply conscious, connected, and life-giving when cultivated with intention.

Healthy Masculinity: Strength, Presence & Connection

What does healthy masculinity actually look like in today's world? Beyond the cultural narratives of dominance, suppression, or performance lies another path that's rooted in presence, integrity, emotional courage, and authentic connection.

Inspired by his TEDx Talk on Healthy Masculinity, Nick Blum will facilitate an interactive discussion exploring how masculine energy can become a source of safety, intimacy, and grounded leadership rather than control or fear. Drawing from his experience in men's work, martial arts, somatic practice, and personal transformation, Nick will invite participants into an open conversation about vulnerability, boundaries, embodiment, relationships, and what it means to cultivate strength without sacrificing tenderness.

This is not a lecture or a debate, but a space for honest reflection, curiosity, and shared dialogue. All genders are welcome.

Watch his TEDx Talk

David Freeman helps people expand their capacity for intimacy, connection and aliveness.

At the heart of his work is a simple question: How do we remain fully ourselves while meeting life’s greatest intensity, desire and uncertainty?

Rather than teaching a single modality, David draws from a range of contemplative and embodied practices, including BDSM, Orgasmic Meditation, Tantra, and conscious energy exchange. These practices are not the destination. They are laboratories for developing the capacity to remain present, honest with ourselves, and grounded when life brings intensity, desire and uncertainty.

Before dedicating himself to this work, David earned his Ph.D. from MIT and spent nearly two decades as an optical systems engineer at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. That systems perspective continues to shape his teaching, bringing clarity, thoughtful design, and practical structure to experiences that are often deeply emotional and profoundly transformative.

Today, David’s work is expressed through three complementary bodies of work. Through Be Well. Be Orgasmic., David uses embodied and erotic practices as laboratories for expanding our capacity to remain present, honest with ourselves, and grounded when life becomes intense. Rather than being the destination, practices such as BDSM, Orgasmic Meditation, Tantra, and conscious power exchange become vehicles for developing greater awareness, discernment, and choice. Through Amoris et Eros, co-founded with Dr. Joana Matos, he helps couples create relationships where love and aliveness flourish together. As faculty with The Relationship Design School in Europe, he supports multicultural couples in transforming difference into deeper understanding, connection and growth.

Whether working with an individual, a couple or a community, David returns to the same guiding question: How do we expand our capacity to meet life more fully without abandoning ourselves?

Meeting Your Edge: Understanding What Happens When Life Gets Intense

Life regularly invites us to the edge of our comfort zone. Sometimes it arrives as desire, attraction, conflict, uncertainty, or fear. Other times it appears as a difficult conversation, a new relationship, or stepping into an unfamiliar community.

What happens in those moments isn’t simply emotional or psychological. It is deeply embodied.

This talk explores how our nervous system responds when we encounter intensity and how we can begin expanding our capacity to remain present, honest with ourselves, and grounded rather than becoming overwhelmed or shutting down. Whether you’re new to these spaces or have years of experience, you’ll leave with a practical framework for understanding your own edge and approaching it with greater awareness, choice, and curiosity.

bewellbeorgasmic.com

Hi! I’m Heather. Most people call me Nookie.

Why Nookie? Well, short story, back when I was younger, some friends and I were looking up naughty words in the Oxford English Dictionary, and discovered that nookie (or nooky) was Scottish slang from the 1940s for a sexually attractive woman.

They dubbed me “The Nookie,” and “Nookie” stuck, LOL!

I’ve lived an atypical life.

• I’ve hitchhiked across the country.
• I’ve traveled and worked in a carnival for a season.
• I’ve roamed New York City with street people.
• I’ve explored (and taught) alternative lifestyles.
• I’m nonmonogamous.

I am living my passion. I host event, write books, teach classes, and offer a mentorship program focused on love, sex, and romance for people of all genders, relationship statuses, orientations and more in the Raleigh, NC and online through Curiouser.life and UnboundRDU.com

Ethical Non-Monogamy: As Easy as 1-2-3-10?

In this class, Nookie will share the top ten questions people interested in non-monogamy ask, and she'll answer them. She will also cover relationship styles (and how to choose what's best for you), jealousy (the good, the bad, and the ugly), communication (and negotiating your communication needs), scheduling (including downtime), dating (Where do I find?) and more.

A Welcome & Q&A with the Bliss Boogie Team

New to Bliss Boogie? Curious about what the day holds? Just want to put some faces to names before things kick off? This is the session for you. Join Nookie and a few members of the Bliss Boogie team for an informal hour to walk through the day's programming, answer your questions, and help you feel at home before the fun begins. No agenda, no pressure — just good people getting oriented together. One hour. Zero intimidation. The perfect place to start.

my.curiouser.life

Sex and relationship geek Reid Mihalko of ReidAboutSex.com helps adults and college students create more self-esteem, self-confidence, and greater health and accountability in their relationships and sex lives using an inspiring mixture of humor, personal stories, keen insight, and comprehensive sexual health information.

In early 2018, some very brave people came forward during #MeToo sharing harms that Reid had caused them. Reid stepped down from teaching and initiated a restorative justice-based accountability process to address his misconduct and make amends if and where possible. The formal, year-long process along with Reid's apology and resources were shared publicly and can be found at ReidAboutSex.com/reidaccountability. Going forward, Reid's projects and appearances will include pointing people towards resources and experts on restorative and transformative justice-based accountability processes.

Reid teaches internationally, running workshops and speaking on communication skills, alternative relationship styles, and shame-free sexuality. Whether online, on stage, or at a college or university, Reid shares skills and concepts designed to help everyone be the change they want to see in the bedroom. Reid's workshops and college lectures have been attended by over 50,000 people from all over the globe. He has appeared in media such as Netflix' Chelsea Does... with Chelsea Handler, Oprah's Our America With Lisa Ling on OWN, the Emmy award-winning talk show Montel, Dr. Phil's The Doctors on CBS, Bravo's Miss Advised, Fox News, in Newsweek, Seventeen, GQ, The Washington Post, and in thirteen countries and at least seven languages.

Reid is also founder of Sex Geek Summer Camp, Sex Geek Conservatory, and Sex Geek School for Gifted Sex Geeks, which help sex educators learn valuable business skills that allow them to reach more people with greater ease, transform more lives, and make a better living as sexperts. Follow Reid on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok at @ReidAboutSex

Rough Sex for Nice People

When you or a lover likes it… Rough. If you're a lover, not a fighter, but you or your lover like it a little rough, let sex and relationship educator (and double black belt, former fight choreographer for indie films), Reid Mihalko of ReidAboutSex.com, show you how you can safely be a badass in bed. From wrestling to rough sex to advanced ergonomic techniques, join us for this humorous and informative workshop (with live demos!) on how to unleash your inner Bruce Lee of the bedroom.

ReidAboutSex.com

An international speaker and humorist in Raleigh, NC. She utilizes humor, play & research for wellness, communication, and leadership skill growth. She teaches Communications (former and current -UNCW, NC State, WakeTech, & William Peace University). She performs and directs/coaches improv at ComedyWorx, in Raleigh. She's a Speaker coach who has coached several TEDx speakers. She's a former professional comedian (multifaceted) who has performed, directed, written, and coached improv, sketch, and stand-up. She's a graduate of Chicago’s Second City Conservatory and appeared on Nick at Nite’s Funniest Mom in America(3). She’s presented workshops for the International Society for Humor Studies at Boston University and designed courses like UNCW’s first “Comedy, Communication & Culture.” She holds an MA in Communications and Leadership from Gonzaga and is proudly a Cherokee Nation TERO-certified LLC. Her approach blends research, play, and humor for communication, wellness, leadership, and personal growth.

Humor & Play Superpower — Research & Games

When was the last time you played or laughed? As grown-ups, we are too often focused on serious & to-do lists. This experiential workshop is your invitation to "recess"! Discover why play is an overall wellness necessity, not a luxury. We will explore the fascinating science of play—how it literally reshapes our brains and isn’t just a social skill, it’s a mental, biological, & emotional positivity workout. We will cover simple physical tools and low-stakes, interactive group games, & genuine connection. Our goal? Leave this session understanding why your inner kid matters, spark joy, laughter, and a practical "Play Toolkit" of simple resources to maintain a playful, resilient mindset for life. Come ready to be open, move, laugh, and reconnect!

linktr.ee/Brooklinworkshop

I’m a doctor of chiropractic, and have been active in my practice in Raleigh, North Carolina for almost 30 years. My passion for chiropractic began at an early age as I watched my mother successfully overcome illness with the help of chiropractics My certifications, specialties and expertise are all centered around holistic natural health and wellness techniques, including Applied Kinesiology, NAET, total reproductive bioresonace technique, Colorpuncture, and heart math technique. I am level III certified in Neuroemotional Technique which is the highest level of certification attainable. Over the years, I’ve been able to help patients achieve optimum health through successful treatments for issues including chronic fatigue, chronic headaches, fibromyalgia, IBS, autoimmunity and chronic Lyme disease. I’ve been instrumental in helping my female patients with women’s health. I’m a native of Winchester, VA and received my bachelor’s degree in anatomy and Doctor of chiropractic degree from parker college of chiropractic in Dallas Texas in Dec 1998. Throughout my career, I have made a commitment to community involvement and leadership. I was named one of triangle business journal’s 40 under 40 award recipients and chiropractor of the year from Alma mater. In 2015 I obtained my diploma in clinical nutrition .

Menopause and Vaginal Health

Attendees will walk away with tools and suggests to help support the changes that naturally occur in the body once menopause begins.

levridgewellness.com

Robin L. Miles is a Space Curator, Ritual Facilitator, and Embodiment Guide devoted to creating intimate space within and without. Through thoughtfully curated experiences, she invites people to slow down, awaken their senses, and explore the profound connection that becomes possible when we are fully present in our bodies and open to authentic connection.

Drawing from years of study and practice in tantra, meditation, somatic breathwork, yoga, movement arts, ritual, and energetic awareness, Robin creates immersive experiences that engage the whole person—body, heart, mind, and spirit. Her facilitation style is warm, intuitive, grounded, and experiential, weaving together mindfulness, embodiment, conscious connection, and ritual to create spaces where participants feel safe enough to soften, brave enough to be seen, and supported in exploring their own inner wisdom.

Robin is a certified Tantra Facilitator, a certified Essential Oils Specialist, and a dedicated student of the Radiance Sutras meditation tradition. She also brings over two decades of experience as an interior designer, where she developed a deep understanding of how beauty, harmony, and energetic flow influence the spaces we inhabit and the way we experience ourselves within them. This unique blend of spatial design and embodiment informs the environments—both physical and emotional—that she creates.

Robin facilitates Tantra Speed Date events and workshops with The Tantra Institute while also creating and leading her own transformational workshops, retreats, immersive gatherings, and private tantra sessions. Her offerings explore presence, sensuality, conscious relating, and embodied intimacy, supporting individuals and groups in deepening their connection with themselves and others.

Whether guiding meditation, facilitating an embodied practice, or curating a sacred container for exploration and connection, Robin's intention remains the same: to create spaces where people can return to themselves, awaken their innate wisdom, and experience the transformative power of authentic human connection.

Her work is an invitation to remember that the body holds wisdom, connection is an art, and presence is where transformation begins.

LATIHAN: Moving Meditation

LATIHAN: Moving Meditation A blindfolded, moving meditation. No agenda. No performance. Just you, your body, and the mystery. A practice in surrender. Release attachment and control Melt tension Explore your YES and your NO Reconnect with your sensual, embodied self This is not about doing. It’s about being. Taking a deep dive into what happens when you stop gripping and start flowing. Blindfolded Touch-possible (not required) Boundaries honored Advanced-level self-awareness This event is nonsexual and sober, offering you a sacred space to open to greater connection and presence.

linktr.ee/robinlmiles

WhosThatBear is a burly educator, host, and chaotic-good party Top with a deep affection for competence, creativity, and enthusiastic consent. Dominant, but probably not your Dom, he is both the “fuck around” and the carefully documented “find out.”

Since entering the kink and non-monogamy communities in 2010, Bear has spent more than a decade teaching workshops, hosting events, and helping create spaces where people can be silly, serious, safer, and sexier versions of themselves. His approach begins with kindness, inclusion, curiosity, and excellent communication. Sweet by default, spicy by negotiation.

An engineer and former improvisational comedian, Bear enjoys electricity, inventive predicaments, unreasonably powerful vibrators, and doing dangerous things in repeatable, highly calculated ways. He has a fetish for people who are passionate about what they do and believes that competence, growth, and joy are profoundly attractive.

Outside the dungeon, he collects safety certifications, teaches first aid, drives fast cars responsibly, and protects his peace and his people. He is an open book for the emotionally literate, darker than you might expect, and more hopeful than you might imagine.

His goal is simple: to be a good experience for people and to inspire laughter, learning, connection, and, whenever appropriate, orgasm.

Safe comes before sexy.

Rejection: Black Belt Boundaries

The word is scary. REJECTION! It carries so much weight, and yet rejection is a powerful tool for building trust with your partners, your community, and yourself? This interactive workshop will help you re-frame rejection and develop real world skills to keep your ego a little less bruised, dodge puppy-dogging, and land enthusiastic "yeses" and clear "nos" as kindly as possible and has hard as necessary.

instagram.com/whosthatbear_fl

Special K (they/them) is an educator, facilitator, and Emerging Faculty member with the Body Electric School whose work centers erotic embodiment, consent, agency, and pleasure as pathways to greater aliveness.

With a background in social work and extensive experience in equity-centered and trauma-informed practice, they bring a grounded, body-aware lens to how people experience sensation, desire, pleasure, boundaries, and connection. Their facilitation draws on breath, movement, sensory exploration, witnessing, self-touch, and embodied inquiry to help people become more attuned to the wisdom of their own bodies.

Special K approaches eros as more than sexuality or attraction. Eros is life force: the capacity to feel, notice, respond, create, connect, and come more fully alive inside ourselves. Their teaching invites participants to become curious about what awakens sensation, what creates expansion or contraction, what they desire more or less of, and how they can remain connected to themselves while encountering others.

Consent and choice are foundational to their work. Special K understands consent as an ongoing embodied and relational practice—not simply a verbal agreement—and creates spaces where changing your mind, slowing down, saying no, experimenting, and discovering an unexpected yes are all part of the practice.

Come Alive: A Body Electric Exploration of Eros & the Senses

What wakes your body up?

At the Body Electric School, we explore eros not simply as sexuality or attraction, but as life force—the felt experience of being present, sensing, wanting, creating, connecting, and coming alive inside our own bodies.

In this experiential introduction to Body Electric, we’ll use breath, movement, sound, touch, and sensory awareness to explore the many pathways through which our bodies experience pleasure and aliveness. Rather than pursuing a particular outcome, we’ll slow down enough to notice: What draws my attention? What feels nourishing? What makes me curious? Where do I expand or contract? What does my body want more of—or less of?

Participants will be guided through a progression of individual and relational practices designed to awaken sensation and deepen awareness of their own erotic energy. We’ll experiment with breath and movement, tune into different kinds of sensory experience, and explore what it is like to remain connected to ourselves while being witnessed or in connection with another person.

Throughout the experience, choice and consent are central. Every practice is an invitation. Participants are encouraged to modify, pause, observe, or opt out at any time, and there is no expectation to perform, achieve, or experience eros in any particular way.

This workshop offers a taste of Body Electric’s distinctive approach to erotic embodiment: becoming more intimately acquainted with your own body, expanding your capacity for sensation and pleasure, and discovering that eros is not something another person gives you. It is something you can learn to recognize, cultivate, and carry within you.

No previous Body Electric, breathwork, or embodiment experience is necessary.

bodyelectric.org/personnel/special-k

Aurora Smith is a Somatic Practitioner, Intimacy Educator, Wheel of Consent® Facilitator & creator of Haw River Somatics based on Sissipahaw land in Saxapahaw, NC. Haw River Somatics is rooted in the belief that healing is a relational process that happens through reconnection — to the body, to intuition, to seasonal rhythms, to community and to the land. Aurora’s work centers on slowing down, grounding & expanding the capacity to weave pleasure into all facets of life.

Aurora’s practice is influenced by training in many modalities including somatic coaching, the Wheel of Consent®, somatic inquiry & parts work, somatic psychedelic facilitation, ecosomatics, energy healing, continuum, holistic pelvic care & intimacy education. Years as an organic farmer & emergency nurse also deeply inform her practice.

Aurora offers individual, couples & group somatic sessions in-person or virtually for folks who are ready to expand their embodied awareness, awaken their imagination & deepen their access to presence & pleasure.

Expand Your Pleasure Ceiling by Embodying the Wheel of Consent®

Please join if you are ready for a fast but deep dive into the Wheel of Consent® – one of the single most useful practices for improving relationships and cultivating healthy eros. This hour offers tools for expanding your capacity for presence & pleasure & introduces foundational concepts from the Wheel of Consent®. Learn to take responsibility for your body & communicate your limits & desires. Pleasure begins with your capacity to be present with yourself, let’s explore.

hawriversomatics.com

Tiffany Dawn Chambers-Goldberg E-RYT, C-IYTT, LMT, Certified Therapist, Chronic Pain Therapist, Erotic Embodiment Practitioner, Creator of Dance Brave™ Internationally recognized for her pioneering work in somatics, chronic pain, and sensual movement, Tiffany Chambers-Goldberg has spent over 35 years guiding people to reclaim their bodies and embrace self-love through movement. Drawing on deep expertise in anatomy, trauma, erotic embodiment, Yoga Tune Up®, and The Roll Model® Method, she leads transformative experiences that help individuals reconnect with their bodies at a soul level. Tiffany's impact spans from private clients—including Ricki Lake, Robbie Williams, Lily Allen, India Arie, and Ciara—to leading organizations like Adidas and Equinox. Her signature program, Dance Brave™, emerged from her own healing journey after sexual assault and a childhood marked by disconnection. After exploring countless healing modalities, it was Erotic Embodiment that finally allowed her to feel resourced, grounded, and whole.

Dance Brave: Reclaiming Erotic Embodiment

Changing how we witness Erotic Embodiment by celebrating the aliveness we see in one another. (Followed by a two song Dance Brave demo.)

DanceBrave.com

Church Da'Poet aka 4PLAYNC

Church Da'Poet is a nationally recognized spoken word artist, captivating host, and curator of unforgettable experiences where poetry, sensuality, and human connection intersect. Known for commanding the stage with authenticity, charisma, and emotional depth, he creates spaces where desire, vulnerability, and self-expression are celebrated without judgment.

As the creator and host of immersive erotic poetry experiences, Church Da'Poet masterfully blends spoken word, music, storytelling, and audience engagement into evenings that are both provocative and empowering. His events encourage meaningful conversations surrounding intimacy, communication, consent, and confidence while showcasing talented poets, performers, and educators.

Beyond the microphone, Church Da'Poet is an advocate for kink education and BDSM awareness, helping foster safe, consensual, and inclusive environments where adults can explore trust, power dynamics, and personal empowerment through education and community.

As an erotic massage practitioner, he approaches sensual touch as an intentional art rooted in relaxation, mindfulness, body awareness, and connection. His philosophy centers on respect, communication, consent, and creating experiences that honor each individual's comfort and boundaries.

Whether hosting sold-out events, leading engaging discussions, or captivating audiences with powerful poetry, Church Da'Poet continues to redefine intimacy through art, education, and authentic human connection—leaving every audience inspired, empowered, and wanting more.

Art of Erotic Word Play

The Art of Erotic Word Play is an interactive workshop that explores the intersection of erotic poetry, BDSM dynamics, and creative storytelling. Participants will learn how to write compelling poetry inspired by themes of desire, trust, power exchange, vulnerability, and connection while emphasizing the foundational principles of consent, communication, negotiation, and aftercare.

Through guided writing exercises, performance techniques, and group discussion, students will discover how to transform emotion, fantasy, and lived experiences into powerful spoken word. Whether you're an experienced poet, curious about BDSM culture, or seeking a new avenue for self-expression, this class provides a respectful, inclusive, and judgment-free environment to develop your voice.

Participants will learn to:

• Write authentic erotic poetry using imagery, metaphor, and emotion.
• Explore BDSM themes through symbolism and storytelling.
• Understand the role of consent, communication, and trust in creative expression.
• Build confidence performing intimate and emotionally charged work.
• Develop a unique poetic voice that balances vulnerability, power, and artistry.

This workshop welcomes poets, writers, performers, and adults interested in exploring the art of sensual storytelling through a creative, educational, and consent-centered lens.

How to re-imagine your relationship dynamics with conscious kink

Come and explore how you can redefine your relationship in ways you never imagined! After 33 years of marriage Dane and Gigi began their exploration into conscious kink 3 years ago and completely transformed their relationship dynamics into a juicy and Devine union of devotion and Eros!

Sequoia is an author, podcaster, educator, sex coach & master healer who weaves over 25 years of study, practice, teaching and exploration of Ontology, Psychology, Shamanism, Mysticism, Advanced Tantra Therapies, Bio-hacking, Full-Spectrum Energy Medicine, NLP, Drama Therapy, Hypnosis, Nutrition, Human Design and her own discoveries of the Science of Now, to guide seekers to be the healthiest human beings possible. Just like our fingerprints, each one of us has a unique design for what brings and keeps us healthy, healed, and in the eXtasy of life. She is on a mission to take the pain and suffering out of love and S.E.X.! Sequoia’s wish for her students is to find reverence for humanity in those moments of intimacy and the challenges that open doors to sacred partnership and love.