Summer of Singing
In this Newsletter: Song Circles, Songleader Trainings, Musicland registration, and Mindfulness practice workshops. Ahlay Blakely July 20! Karly Loveling Aug. 16! And invitations to camp at CFB!
Dear Friends Old and New,
Have you ever wished you lived in a culture where songs are woven into the days and seasons of the year? -where there’s a song for each plant and animal, each threshold of life, and each human experience?
Here’s good news: It’s happening here and now! In countless simple and meaningful ways, everyday people like you and me are bringing song into more and more everyday spaces:
Many people are carrying around little songs in their heads that can pop up just when needed: at a time of farewell, celebration, sadness, praise, or gratitude.
I know an optometrist in Western Iowa who a few years ago started singing to his patients and now is known across the region as the Singing Optometrist. People travel extra miles to come to him!
I know someone who works for the US Department of Labor who leads group singing at their fancy conferences!
At choir concerts at our local college, the audience is being invited to learn and sing along on a few commuity songs!
This fall Lyndsey Scott will be teaching a course at the University of Iowa called "I can't make this journey by myself" Community Singing as Collective Power in Activism, Ritual, and Mental Health.’
Thanks and praise to the singers, the song leaders, and of course the song makers, who hear and craft the songs that catch fire in us and spread across the land.
This year I was offered a grant through the Folk School Alliance to travel around and offer weekend trainings for people who’d like to pick up some of the tools of songleading so they can bring a song or two to their family, neighborhood, organization, workplace, folk school, healing practice, house of worship, or any other place. How I love these gatherings and the people who attend them! There’s one coming up in September; maybe you’d like to come! (see below).
How is it with you? Margaret Wheatly coined a phrase for the many ways that we make connections with others, whether the momentary ones on the street or those that last through our relationships and creations. She calls them islands of sanity. Are you finding ways to create islands of sanity there where you live? Surely you are, whether you notice it or not. Here’s a thank-you, on behalf of all, for the many ways that we are each doing what we can.
Singing together helps a lot. It lets us agree to come together without agreeing on everything. It meets our hunger to be together in sacred space. And, as someone said, singing together is touch at a distance. All of this, and more.
Maybe we’ll sing together yet this year! Possibilities abound. See below!
Liz
Sat, July 20 // Come sing with Ahlay Blakely at the Center for Belonging! // Free camping for out of town visitors // Tickets and more info here and below.
Song Circles
Come join me at any of these song circles where we’ll be singing songs that invite renewal, play, courage, and joy! As we remember how to sing together, we also remember how to listen, how to heal ourselves and others, and how to connect with our essential, compassionate nature. All voices desired, no singing experience needed. Come let’s sing!
August 23rd: Songs of Comfort and Healing
Date and Time: Friday August 23, 1:00-3:00. Stay on and attend the Great River Folk Fest!
Location: First Congregational Church at 2503 Main St, La Crosse WI
Event Details: Would you like to have a pocketful of songs that you and a few friends could bring to others in your community during times of need? Join me to learn some short, simple songs of comfort, healing, and courage.
Cost: $15-45, Register HERE
August 25th: Great River Folk Fest
Date and Time: I’ll be leading a community song circle from 3:30-4:30 on Sunday, August 25th
Location: La Crosse, WI
Event Details: This is a 3-day festival running from August 23-25, which is easy to pop in and out of for a day or even part of a day. Can you come raise up some songs with me on Sunday afternoon!
Cost: day passes and weekend passes available here.
October 4th: Song Circle at Folklore Village near Madison, WI
Date and Time: Friday, October 4th from 6:30-8:30 PM
Location: Folklore Village, 3210 Co Rd BB, Dodgeville, WI 53533
Cost: $20, Sign up today!
Weekend Songleader Trainings and Reunion
Aug. 17-18 in Decorah, IA // Sept. 7-8 near Minneapolis, MN // Oct. 5-6 near Madison, WI
Are you excited about Community Singing? Would you like to help gather people in your home community to twine voices and hearts in this all-voices-welcomed way? Are you intrigued about the possibility of helping to lead songs yourself?
August 17-18: Songleader Reunion at Center for Belonging
Are you one of the people who have attended a songleader training with me over these last few years? Wouldn’t it be nice to gather again, to hear how things are going in one another’s singing communities, and to sing together? You’ll have a chance to share songs, to learn from others who are out there bringing songs to their communities, and to share stories, questions, and connections. Bonus! Eugene, OR songleader Karly Loveling will be joining us for the weekend!
Date: Aug 17 at 10 am until Aug 18 at 3 pm, optional Friday evening song circle with Karly Loveling
Location: Center for Belonging Folk School near Decorah, IA
Cost: $50-100, Register HERE
September 7-8: Marine Mills Folk School
Joining me for this special-edition songleader training are Annie Schlaefer, Linnea Champ, and Sarina Partridge. Those connected with a folk school or other related grassroots educational organization can come for free. Please inquire by emailing centerforbelongingfolkschool@gmail.com.
Date: Saturday, September 7th and Sunday, September 8th, 9:00-5:00 each day plus Saturday evening informal gathering for song and play. Also, come if you can to our Friday night community song circle led by some of the workshop leaders.
Location: 550 Pine St, Marine on St Croix, MN 55047
Cost: $150-250, Register HERE
October 5-6: Folklore Village
Date: Saturday, October 5th and Sunday, October 6th
Location: Folklore Village, 3210 Co Rd BB, Dodgeville, WI 53533
Cost: Two spots remain and are reserved for people who are connected with a Folk School or other grassroots community learning organization. These are free spots, supported by a grant from the Folk School Alliance. Please inquire by emailing centerforbelongingfolkschool@gmail.com
More Events
Ahlay Blakely Returns to the Center for Belonging
Date and Time: Saturday, July 20, 2024 from 6:30-9 PM
Location: At the gazebo in the woods at the Center for Belonging. Free camping!
Maybe you’ve been in song circles where Ahlay’s songs are being sung, or maybe you’re about to learn the power and beauty of what she is making. Whichever of these you are, I guarantee that you will be glad to be in the presence of Ahlay, these songs, and the others who will gather here to sing them. Take a listen!
Mindfulness and Emotional Empowerment Workshops with Petrina Eger
We are excited to welcome Petrina Eger to the Center for Belonging to facilitate several workshops in August. Petrina is passionate about nurturing relationships with presence, authenticity and compassion. She combines mindfulness with psychology and neuroscience to help people increase their wellbeing so they can live with more joy, vitality and connection. She spent many years in Southeast Asia, studying different modalities and teaching emotional intelligence at a university. Her background includes embodiment coaching, brain spotting therapy, attachment style re-patterning, and mindfulness.
Engage and Connect: Mindfulness for Enhanced Communication
Date: August 7, 10-2 pm
Location: Center for Belonging
Cost: Sliding scale: $20, $29, $39
More info and register HERE
Emotional Empowerment: Taking Control of Your Feelings
Date: August 21, 6-9 pm
Location: Center for Belonging
Cost: Sliding scale: $20, $29, $39
More info and register HERE
WisconSing! Community Singing Camp
Date: August 10-13th
Location: Bethel Horizons in Dodgeville, WI
I’ll be one of the many songleaders at this 3rd annual event, organized by some fine Wisconsin folks. Come sing with us! More info here!
Karly Loveling Song Circle!
Date and Time: Friday, August 16, 2024 from 6-8 PM
Location: At the gazebo in the woods at the Center for Belonging. Free camping!
I’m thrilled to tell you that one of my favorite songwriters and songleaders, Karly Loveling from Eugene OR, is coming to the Center for Belonging to share her songs with us around the campfire. Here’s a link to some of her songs. The one called ‘Soothing Melody’ is one of my favorites.
Musicland 2024
Musicland will be held at Dream Acres Farm near Rochester MN from September 27-29 (this is a week later than what had been announced a few months ago). Musicland is our family’s 32-year-old intergenerational gathering of singers, players, dreamers, and makers. Registration opens today, here.
