Studio Kink Co-Founder

Studio Kink Instructor: 2015 - present

Mistress and slave, Aleni DV8 makes her home in Sydney with her Master since 2001. Since 1999 Aleni has travelled all over the world and trained with some extraordinary Masters, Mistresses and leather families earning herself a reputation as one of the most experienced lifestyle Mistresses in Australia.

Aleni has shared her knowledge with countless female tops and dominants over the years. Her classes focus on practical technique as well as developing an awareness of why we do what we do in order to do it better. Always a student as well as a teacher Aleni continues to explore her own kinks and loves discussing all things kink with others of our own peculiar tribe.

Aleni has taught internationally and at home for the last ten years covering a wide range of topics. She has performed in LA and New York, and on the home front in Melbourne and Sydney.

Co-Founder, Studio Kink Sydney (2015–Present)

Shibari Educator • Performer • Community Builder

He/Him/Fluid/Poly

Mark DeViate is an internationally respected Shibari educator, performer, and community organiser whose public journey into kink began in 2001. Privately, his exploration dates back to the early 1980s, laying a foundation for decades of learning, teaching, and community building.

In 2001, Mark and his partner Aleni co-founded DV8House – a private home that became a hub for immersive kink gatherings and skill-sharing events. It was a formative space that shaped Sydney’s emerging BDSM scene and connected many of its early players.

By 2005, Mark had stepped onto the global stage, presenting at the Austin Ropecraft Symposium and becoming a regular educator at ShibariCon in Chicago. His rope work – refined through mentorship with Osada Steve in Japan and grounded in the Akechi Denki tradition— – known for its precision, sensuality, and emotional intensity.

In 2006, a spontaneous scene at the Sydney Hellfire Club sparked a long-running performance partnership with Lani. Together, their dynamic and emotionally charged performances became a hallmark of Sydney’s kink nightlife, culminating in a final Hellfire performance in 2019.

In 2015, Mark, Lani, and Aleni co-founded Studio Kink Sydney – a dedicated centre for kink education and community support. Mark teaches across a broad spectrum of topics, including rope suspension, SM, hook suspension, and consent-forward sexual play. His classes are celebrated for their clarity, accessibility, and unwavering focus on safety and respect.

Mark has been a long-time contributor to the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, helping coordinate floats since 2002. His efforts have amplified kink and leather visibility on Oxford Street, including Studio Kink’s 2024 award-winning float and the historic Liberated in Leather float in 2025.

Beyond the dungeon, Mark has collaborated with Opera Australia – providing authentic Shibari for the 2019 production of Madama Butterfly – and regularly presents on kink and consent at university Sex Week events across Sydney and the ACT.

At the core of everything Mark does is a deep commitment to creating spaces where people can learn, connect, and be unapologetically themselves. His rope lifts bodies – but more importantly, it brings people together.

Director & Co-Founder, Studio Kink Sydney (2015–Present)

Sydney Ms Leather 2024
Performer • Organiser • Advocate

She/Her/Femme/Bisexual/Poly

The adventure began in 2006 on one of my first visits to Hellfire, Sydney. There, I met a man known as Mark DV8 – someone I'd heard very good things about, including that he loved shibari. I smiled at him and asked, “Excuse me? If you’re not busy, would you like to tie me?” His answer was: “Hell yeah!” That moment sparked a partnership built on trust, chemistry, and a shared love of Japanese-inspired rope bondage. He’s been tying me ever since.

In the years that followed, Mark and I developed a unique style together, blending traditional shibari techniques with a dynamic, high-energy edge. I became known for my fluid transitions, expressive movement, and the signature aerial play that earned me the nickname Flygirl – a name that’s followed me across performances from Sydney to San Francisco, Tokyo to Vancouver.

In 2015, we co-founded Studio Kink Sydney—not just as a venue, but as a living, breathing community hub. While Mark and others teach, I’m the one behind the scenes keeping everything running. From managing class schedules and liaising with community groups to coordinating our events and special programs, I’m the go-to person making sure it all comes together smoothly. My role is about connection – linking educators, performers, and guests to ensure every experience is empowering, inclusive, and meaningful.

Together with Mark and our co-partner Aleni DeViate, we – the DV8s – live and lead from a place of authenticity. Our long-standing polyamorous family is built on trust, passion, and mutual respect – values we bring to every class, every performance, and every connection we make.

I’ve proudly performed and presented at major kink and fetish events across Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Japan – including Toubaku, Japan Fetish Ball, Hellfire, Sensual Ball, and the LA Fetish Ball. Each time, I’m reminded of how powerful shared energy can be. Rope isn’t just about technique – it’s about trust, presence, and the magic that happens when we truly connect.

Beyond the studio, I’ve organised five Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras floats representing Studio Kink and the Sydney Fetish community. In 2024, our “KINK: Unchain Your Future” float was awarded Best Float Design, a testament to the creativity and dedication of our community.

In 2024, I was honoured to be sashed as Sydney Ms. Leather, and I now step into that title as an advocate for inclusion, visibility, and growth in our leather and kink communities. I’ll be representing Australia on the global stage at International Ms. Leather & Bootblack 2025 (IMsLBB) in New Jersey – a moment of deep pride and purpose.

Studio Kink was built on the belief that knowledge is sexy, consent is powerful, and community is everything. That’s still my guiding light, and I’m beyond proud to help others find their path in this beautifully diverse world we call kink.

Studio Kink Co-Founder

Studio Kink Instructor: 2015 - present

As a rigger, Precipice has studied extensively, and is constantly working to further his own abilities, while also sharing his resultant knowledge and skills with others. With a clean and methodical style, focusing on dynamic suspension, and combining subtle mental techniques, Precipice uses rope to capture both body and mind.

He has extensive experience teaching regular classes and weekend workshops across a variety of subjects and at a range of levels. As a founding member of Studio Kink Sydney, Precipice will continue to utilise his broad knowledge-base and passion for teaching to enrich and enliven the rope journey of others.

Studio Kink Instructor

Having first attended the studio in 2016, Thief and his partner Tai_Me have been trying together since 2018 with a mindset of communication, trust and sadomasochism.

Their style is based off a deep understanding of complexity through simplicity, and a focus on fundamentals to achieve goals.

With a Mindset focus on the person over tools, and playing with the mind rather than the toys, Thief wants to constantly grow and to see others grow closer and safer over time.