CircleSing: Música do Círculo

These sessions are the heart of what we’ve been building here at Gaia – warm, welcoming spaces for spontaneous singing and harmonizing, led with joy, passion, and kindness by skilled circlesong facilitators.

WHAT IS MÚSICA DO CÍRCULO?

Música do Círculo is an experience of music and human connection that invites people to explore their musicality in an accessible, organic, and cooperative way—a shared practice that fosters well-being and contributes to the cultivation of more authentic and healthy relationships, as well as to the development of creativity, listening skills, and expressiveness, always within a lighthearted, inclusive, and welcoming environment.

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In this experience, the voice and body are the instruments we use; improvisation and collective creation are our path; and play structures the musical and human journey through which we flow together, cultivating values ​​such as diversity, lightness, presence, and fun to sustain an authentic experience of musical community.

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It was developed in Brazil by Ronaldo Crispim, Zuza Gonçalves, and Pedro Consorte, drawing upon the body percussion and improvisation games of Fernando Barba and Stênio Mendes, the vocal improvisation of Bobby McFerrin’s circlesongs, and the human relations processes of the Pedagogy of Cooperation.

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Música do Círculo has been spreading across the globe, with trained facilitators in over 20 countries, strengthening a community that views music as an experience of affection and connection—accessible to anyone who wishes to express themselves and become part of the singular and special music that can emerge from every human circle.

WHO IS LEADING THIS CIRCLESINGING SESSION?

This event will be facilitated by the brilliant Pedro Consorte, a teaching artist of hybrid formation (music and dance), who has been a part of the group STOMP for 2 years, is part of the faculty at the International Body Music Festival and has dedicated himself increasingly to processes of learning and human development.

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WHAT HAPPENS DURING A CIRCLESINGING SESSION?

We begin with some easy singing games and a check-in to get to know everyone a little better. From there, the evening will follow a series of guided singing games and exercises as the group explores rhythm, movement, melody, and harmony. We practice the art of saying YES to what is happening in the moment – expressing ourselves, listening to our voices and bodies, and making stuff up.

DO I HAVE TO BE AN EXPERIENCED SINGER?

Nope! This playful, intuitive approach to singing meets you wherever you’re at in your vocal journey, and allows professional artists, former choir kids, and shower singers alike to bond, collaborate, and create beautiful vocal music as a spontaneous vocal community.

WHAT GENRE OF MUSIC DO WE SING?

That’s the magic of improvisation – the music we make is entirely dependent on the ensemble of folx gathered together on that particular day, and whatever musical stylings and instincts pour out of us! We will follow whatever journey the music takes us on.

THIS SOUNDS COOL, BUT I FEEL A BIT ANXIOUS…

We hear you. Singing in front of people can be really vulnerable, and we make sure to honor where everyone is at. While we will encourage you to be brave and try new things, you are also always encouraged to listen to your body and draw your own boundaries, and are invited to pass or sit out and watch if a particular game or exercise isn’t for you. You will never be forced to do anything you don’t want to do!

Circle Singing is a mistake-free, low-pressure, safe space to play and explore. The space we craft is one where we allow ourselves let go of the rules, restrictions, judgments, and fears of other group singing settings and just SING.

RESPECT THE SPACE:

ArtsOnSite is a beloved venue and we want to honor them! Please be considerate of the space.

PHYSICAL ACCESSIBILITY:

• ADA ramp accessible, set out 15 before each session.
• 2 step walk up to lobby.
• Ramp is in the hallway
• Elevator available to the 3rd floor (reserved for those with physical disabilities).
• Seating available (narrow benches with no backs, folding chairs).
• Bathroom is not wheelchair accessible.
• Venue prefers shoes to be removed upon entering. 🌱 🌿 🌳

LOW-PRESSURE PARTICIPATION

Gaia Music Collective events are participatory, but low-pressure. You’ll be invited to sing along and make music with us, but we encourage you to draw your own boundaries and engage at your own pace – we pride ourselves in creating a judgment-free community where you can express yourself however feels right!

LATE ARRIVALS

We ask that you arrive no later than 30 minutes after start time, after which we close the doors (lovingly) in order to preserve the intimacy and trust of the musical container we’re building. Thank you for understanding!

CANCELLATION POLICY

Tickets are refundable up to 24 hours before the event, after which we are no longer able to offer refunds. This policy helps us keep these events financially sustainable for both our community and our team. If you RSVP but are no longer able to come, please let us know so that we may offer your spot to someone else! We want as many people to be able to experience these gatherings as possible, and since capacity is limited, each spot is precious.

For more info, contact us at gaiamusiccollective@gmail.com.

MEDIA CONSENT

Because we want to share what we’re up to with people who can’t join us in person, there may be photographers and videographers present — by attending, you consent to being a part of that media, some of which may be posted online! If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at gaiamusiccollective@gmail.com.

NO ONE TURNED AWAY FOR LACK OF FUNDS

Gaia is funded by sliding scale ticket donations, with a “no one turned away for lack of funds” policy. It is of the utmost importance to us that these events remain affordable and accessible – we never want money to be a barrier to making music together. If a ticket scale is financially prohibitive to you, feel free to donate outside of the scale at whatever amount is sustainable for you, or to email us at gaiamusiccollective@gmail.com for volunteer opportunities or assistance!

COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

At Gaia Music Collective, we are dedicated to building a community where creativity, collaboration, and care thrive. The values listed here shape how we work together, how we engage with the world, and how we move toward upholding these principles.

OUR MISSION

Gaia Music Collective is an NYC-based creative community seeking to foster a more connected world through collective music-making. Founded in June of 2021 in a living room in Brooklyn, this project was born out of a desire to create accessible, inclusive, playful spaces for people to explore connection, expression, healing, and release through collaborative song – spaces where folks feel empowered to make music free of judgment or expectation, and to make new friends as our full, beautiful, authentic selves.

We believe that communal music-making is a fundamental human practice, and this project seeks to build spaces for folks to nurture their relationship to music, whether they’re shower singers, professional musicians, or anything in between.

All are welcome in this community. Gaia seeks to foster spaces of belonging for humans of all ages, races, genders, sexual orientations, classes, religions, abilities, national origins, languages, and musical experiences. All we ask is that you bring an open mind, a desire to connect, and a willingness to leave judgment of self and others at the door.

FAQ

Have any questions that haven’t been answered here? Check out our Event FAQs!

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