If you’re looking to add a little kink to your weekend, Cincinnati’s fifth annual Bondage Ball takes place 9 p.m.- 3 a.m. Saturday (July 28) at DF Productions and Events (26 Donald Drive, Fairfield). The annual event, hosted by local dominatrix Devlynn DeSade, usually attracts around 400 curious and committed fetish fans for an evening of live music, performances from DeSade and Rocky Doll, and frisky and freaky play areas. Tickets are $25, the event is BYOB and fetish attire is required.
If you’re new to the fetish and BDSM scene and are a little hesitant about safety, the event website FAQ page has this to say: ” You will find that the fetish and BDSM community as a whole is very friendly. You’ll be safer here than at a typical ‘vanilla’ night club. You are going to see so many new things that it may seem a little overwhelming at first. Some will be absolutely hot, sexy and erotic! You may see things that make you feel a little uncomfortable initially. … Relax, erase any preconceptions from your mind and free your senses to truly live in and experience this incredible evening.”
For more information on what to expect, we reached out to DeSade via email to learn more about the Bondage Ball, the local BDSM scene and what to expect on Saturday.Â
CityBeat: So this is the Bondage Ball’s fifth annual event. Can you tell me the story of how the Bondage Ball came to be? What role do you play?
Devlynn DeSade: The Bondage Ball came out of a need to actually wear fetish wear out of the house for one evening and enjoy life in the middle of the summer. It also offers a more formal event for those in the BDSM community who want to really shine in their Leather role. The first was held at The Dock, which is now gone, sadly, but since then we have moved to a much larger and more hospitable space.
People come all the way from Indiana, Louisville and Pennsylvania to enjoy the evening in their fetish wear and meet other kinksters, exhibitionists and artists. I have been doing fetish art for almost a decade now and when I met Ilan Kaim of Quorum (a Goth/Industrial/EDM music event), we started working on events for the goth and fetish community. I hosted a monthly fetish event at The Dock, and performed my strange fetish acts across the country at everything from huge shows with Lords of Acid and KMFDM to super discreet private BDSM parties and events.
My shows themselves over the years have usually been a commentary on the issues around the pain of marginalization of those who engage in BDSM and gender expectations. I am most inspired by other periods in time. As a low-brow artist all my life, I speak in words everyone can feel — sex, violence, bondage, beauty. In the Bondage Ball, my friends and I attempt to create a fabulous fantasy world where one can explore freely (and) safely, and step outside the normal world for one evening. Â
CB: Can you tell me what guests can expect to find at the Bondage Ball?
DD: Well, many of the BDSM and Leatherati will be around to enjoy the things they enjoy, be it rope bondage, boot blacking, fireplay, Latex or whatever else new they invent before this (is published)! However, we also have a lot of clubgoers who are just there to dance, enjoy the shows and have a fun night — not everyone is there for the BDSM side of things and that’s fine with us.  Â
CB: What will it look like? Acts or special guests? Music?
DD: We have shipped in an awesome DJ from Florida to give us an infusion of new Dance music. There are a few fetish shows around midnight and that usually kicks off everyone’s evening on good note. You will see all manner of attire and it’s best to put on your least judgmental attitude for the evening.
CB: What’s your favorite part of this year’s ball?
DD: I am really excited about the Isle of Fem, a little village of the party that will have male slaves and females in charge. They will have leaf fans and everything — this is a dream come to life.
CB: I see there’s an FAQ page with info for those who may be dipping their toes into bondage or attending the ball for the first time. Is there anything not on the page that you’d want first timers to know?Â
DD: Best to know that we are community of real people, like the music community, like the volleyball community, just our uniforms are a little more imaginative.Â
CB: What advice would you give to someone who is attending the ball for the first time?
DD: If you are actually trying to play with BDSM, I wouldn’t recommend getting too drunk, for a number of reasons. And dress fabulous and you will meet more people! Â
CB: How would you describe Cincinnati’s BDSM scene?
DD: We have to be more discreet here than many other places, but we have a thriving scene with all kinds of things going on: munches, classes, movie nights, High Protocol parties. Â
For more info on the event, visit cincinnatibondageball.com.
This article appears in Jul 18-25, 2018.