Playful parties
Cuddle session returns to Madison to help people learn to communicate
Scott Hansen
Issue date: 4/2/09 Section: Showcase
It has been about four months since the last cuddle party was "held" in Madison. But on April 18, Cuddle Party facilitator Will Machay will be making another attempt at getting the social event to catch on with the college crowd.
According to the official Cuddle Party Web site, cuddle parties are designed for adults to explore communication, boundaries and affection. The idea was conceived in February 2004 by Reid Mihalko and Marcia Baczynski to bring clean, safe and welcomed affection to the world.
Machay described cuddle parties as basically a workshop about communication, boundaries and touch. He said typically 20 or so people will be in attendance.
Machay points out that participation is not required to interact with anyone and that it is a non-sexual event. Clothes are on the whole time, participants don't have to touch anyone and are not required to do anything at all.
Machay first learned about the parties after seeing a story that the magazine Life and Style had done on the phenomenon. Machay became hooked on the idea of an organized get-together with people being able to touch and communicate. Coincidentally, in July 2004 a couple who had attended one of the first cuddle parties in New York City began to host them in Columbus, Ohio, where he lived at the time. Shortly thereafter, though, Machay moved to Wisconsin and was forced to travel all the way to Michigan to attend the events.
"I found myself basically so far away and it being inconvenient to go to a cuddle party," Mackay said. "Then I decided, why don't I get the training and start hosting (cuddle parties in Madison)?"
In the summer of 2007, Machay traveled to Seattle for the three-day event to gather the foundation of facilitation. It was a wonderful time, Machay said, adding that it was a good exploration of one's self. Machay then had a six-month period in which he had to host three cuddle parties and write reports on the experiences. After that period, Machay finally got certified to run cuddle parties in early 2008.
According to the official Cuddle Party Web site, cuddle parties are designed for adults to explore communication, boundaries and affection. The idea was conceived in February 2004 by Reid Mihalko and Marcia Baczynski to bring clean, safe and welcomed affection to the world.
Machay described cuddle parties as basically a workshop about communication, boundaries and touch. He said typically 20 or so people will be in attendance.
Machay points out that participation is not required to interact with anyone and that it is a non-sexual event. Clothes are on the whole time, participants don't have to touch anyone and are not required to do anything at all.
Machay first learned about the parties after seeing a story that the magazine Life and Style had done on the phenomenon. Machay became hooked on the idea of an organized get-together with people being able to touch and communicate. Coincidentally, in July 2004 a couple who had attended one of the first cuddle parties in New York City began to host them in Columbus, Ohio, where he lived at the time. Shortly thereafter, though, Machay moved to Wisconsin and was forced to travel all the way to Michigan to attend the events.
"I found myself basically so far away and it being inconvenient to go to a cuddle party," Mackay said. "Then I decided, why don't I get the training and start hosting (cuddle parties in Madison)?"
In the summer of 2007, Machay traveled to Seattle for the three-day event to gather the foundation of facilitation. It was a wonderful time, Machay said, adding that it was a good exploration of one's self. Machay then had a six-month period in which he had to host three cuddle parties and write reports on the experiences. After that period, Machay finally got certified to run cuddle parties in early 2008.
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