It felt like BDSM coming of age in New Zealand, when the second (biennial) Southern Exposure Conference and the eleventh (annual) New Zealand Fetish Ball recently formed a double-header in Christchurch.

Southern Exposure is the brainchild of SteveC, organiser and experienced kinkster who also runs the local BDSM Christchurch group Uncommon Bonds. He has realised his vision of holding a conference where we twisted folk in the BDSM community could share our skills with others and be exposed to new forms of SM play.

Approximately 150 kinksters from New Zealand attended the three-day event, along with a few from Europe and America. SteveC chose the Latimer Hotel and it proved a perfect venue, conveniently located for all amenities and close to the fetish ball location, with restaurant and bar facilities at hand for some unwinding and saturated relaxing in the sun.

The conference centre being located in the same hotel as accommodation also made it easy to slip away for a quick nap, or yum, a bit of play! The conference offered some 13 workshops in total, with R&R in between allowing time to recharge the batteries.

The Kiwi community was treated to performances from several world class names such as Fetish Diva Midori, Kumimonster and Sarah Sloane. Rubbing shoulders with these worldwide educators were New Zealand’s own presenters, offering workshops on such subjects from corporal punishment to consensual play.

One Kiwi workshop that got tongues wagging was Nico and Caspers’ suturing class, which had people jumping at the chance to practice their needle skills, in a safe environment, with a willing victim.

Another topic that generated a lot of interest was BDSM and the law, which when you read everything happening elsewhere, provided some valuable education to the attendees about the application of local laws.

Midori's workshop on genital play was truly amazing. I observed how she transfixed the audience with her unique combination of knife and genital action. I wonder if her devoted volunteer submissives are out of subspace yet as I write this! People were furiously scribbling notes as they watched, trying to capture some of the many tips that were given.

As the workshop ended, attendees exited with a loud buzz of excitement akin to killer bees. It was wonderful to see our community swarming from one honey pot of a workshop to the next, aroused and hungry for their next pollinating adventure.

The session on erotic photography, starring Kumi, was another true high point. Kumi proved as fascinating to chat with as Midori had for me. Her knowledge and understanding of people, and the way she sees the world, are refreshing.

When my fellow kinksters bounded out of the workshop their faces were beaming. They clutched their digital cameras and were dying to show off what they had captured and to explain the principles that the presenter Lindsay and Kumi had taught them. Some of the images they were able to produce were molten.

After a long weekend of SM, kink and fetish, I felt a strong sense of fulfilment emanating from the attendees. The presenters immersed themsevles in the crowd, smiling and talking with everyone.

Many of these wonderful people had already chatted with me online and were now here in the flesh, so much more than mere pixels. These fetish folk were now friends and we had all experienced a breath of fresh air pungent with the aroma of skin and latex.

I also spoke with an American friend who said that for her the scene where she came from had gone stagnant. She beamed and said that with her visit here, to one of the most beautiful countries on earth, her thrill in the lifestyle had wetly returned.

She saw that Kiwis are full of life and deeply engaged in the vitality of BDSM. “Everyone,” she said, “threw their sweat and blood into this!”

Southern Exposure is still growing and many of the happy sweating and bleeding attendees, were new to it. SteveC and his partner Puss can be proud of staging a totally awesome and very professional event that many feel stands comparison with longer established fixtures in the international world of kink.

The next conference to be held in Christchurch is planned for two years time, once again using The Latimer Hotel venue. However, as I write, plans may also be going into action for a conference in Auckland in 2009. So keep your eyes and ears open if you plan to visit these shores for a holiday — you may be able to have some Kiwi kink thrown in.

The New Zealand Fetish Ball has been held in Christchurch for the past ten years. Kinksters from all corners of New Zealand converged on this year’s ball, aptly titled Sin City, at the Civic in Christchurch.

A thousand pervs, fetish folk, BDSM scene people, and people who just enjoy a great opportunity to dress up, attended this year. Everyone made an extraordinary effort, each in their unique style, whether latex, feathers, paint or leather.

The weather was warm, which made for some interesting choices of outfit, those brave bodies decorated only in paint getting envious looks from sweaty, more covered-up attendees! Many were ‘Fetball virgins’ which made for some hilarious scenes of eyes bugging out and jaws dropping in disbelief at some of the sights.

The professionalism of the event made it feel you could have been at a fetish ball anywhere in Europe or the USA. There were many options for eager participants ranging from getting a tattoo or a piercing to playing on a fine array of dungeon apparatus and furniture set up for the guest use.

This made for an exciting night for those who were new and who wished to experience the scene rather than just just watch the performances, world class and utterly fantastic though they were.

Mark and Flygirl enthralled the audience with their rope bondage act, while the full suspension act of Midori and Kumi featuring paint was spellbinding. Those standing in the front row were splattered by the red and then black paint, yet were so mesmerised by the performance that they appeared not to care.

Instead they focused on Kumi as she swung out over their heads far into the audience! A fabric wall on the stage was battered by her on her return journey, leaving her red and black impressions on the canvas. It was stunning!

Another act that caught everyone's attention was Diva's x-dressing and bondage boutique fetish fashion show. Choreographed to the music of Marilyn Manson, the fashions were outrageous, the models fantastic as they each strutted their stuff along the catwalk. The footwear each model wore were so high altitude that it almost gave you a nose bleed.

A wonderful local act, Lady Xanthi and her pony Rivendell was reprised from last year with the delightful addition of a new ‘unicorn’. It was awesome to watch Rivendell‘s golden mane flash in the lights while he strode expertly in hooves.

The attention to detail was impressive; nothing was missed, on either Rivendell's or the unicorn's outfits, both looking exceptional from the tips of their delicate ears down even to their amazing hoofs — Rivendell's hooves being racing plates used for actual race horses.

Local performer Mary Magdalena, who has performed in London's Torture Garden and many other fetish events, also shone on the night. It was a fantastic treat to have them attend and perform.

To help pull all these amazing acts together, the wonderful, sexy and totally hilarious Pollyfilla acted as MC for the evening. Described by critics as having the fashion sense of Jem, the facial expressions of Linda Blair in The Exorcist, the comedy timing of Carol Burnett in Annie, the style and poise of Faye Dunaway in Mommie Dearest and possessing more hot leg than a bucket of KFC, Pollyfilla entertained all evening and had the crowd rolling on the floor, clutching their sides laughing.

The play area, which attracted a large amount of interest all evening was run by the local BDSM group, Uncommon Bonds. It provided a great space for those willing to play in public with some amazing scenes experienced and watched, from needle play to rope suspensions.

International attendees came from places as far apart as Bulgaria and the USA to enjoy the fabulous venue and atmosphere. Many first-timers promised they would be back next year and wanted to know what the theme would be for 2009.

The 2008 Sin City Fetish Ball provided an action-packed evening of high class performances, music, bdsm and kink galore! Now the anticipation starts to build again for the 2009 ball and of course deciding what or what not to wear — more latex is the plan for this girl, I think!