September 4-7, 2020
Labor Day Weekend
September 4-7, 2020
Labor Day Weekend
September 4-7, 2020
Labor Day Weekend
Building Community Through Song
Singing has been a backbone of human culture for millenia. Whether used for storytelling or recreation, the magic of song has been an essential means of expression, connection, and celebration. You can take part in this ancient tradition with us. Bring your voice to help weave together a wondrous community through song.
No matter your talent, age, or skill there is a place for you at Singing Rabbit. Come and explore singing together within a thriving ecovillage. Join a community with a strong song culture and a rich background in using song in song circles, important life events, and everyday life. Spend your Labor Day weekend with us, out in nature, surrounded by laughter and music.
Singing has been a backbone of human culture for millenia. Whether used for storytelling or recreation, the magic of song has been an essential means of expression, connection, and celebration. You can take part in this ancient tradition with us. Bring your voice to help weave together a wondrous community through song.
No matter your talent, age, or skill there is a place for you at Singing Rabbit. Come and explore singing together within a thriving ecovillage. Join a community with a strong song culture and a rich background in using song in song circles, important life events, and everyday life. Spend your Labor Day weekend with us, out in nature, surrounded by laughter and music.
This unique experience will provide you with:
- New songs to take back to your friends, family and song circles
- Guidance from experienced song leaders
- A chance to learn the hard and soft skills of living in a thriving ecovillage through skillshare sessions
- Time to dive deep and rediscover yourself and each other while connecting to the living essence of community through the ancient medium of song
- Knowledge of some of the principles of sustainable community living, and how to apply them to your life
- The inspiration and courage to spread the gift of song by starting your own community song circle
Singing Rabbit will be an intimate gathering of 80-100 people, including many members from our own village. Come experience the heart of community with song, laughter, good food, and connection.
Last Year’s
Singing Rabbit Song Leaders
Annie Zylstra
Annie Zylstra is a classically trained vocalist who has transitioned to inspiring the world to sing for the joy of it. She loves to share her gift for singing with the world, engaging in song circles from the U.S. to the UK. As a person who lives her life in an offering to song, she brings a magical element to any choir or song group she leads. With a wealth of original songs and a guidance in harmony making, you can feel comfortable to sing along no matter your experience level.
Ishka Shir (Liat Batshira)
Liat Batshira’s name, given at birth, means “daughter of song.” She has been singing in choirs since before she could read, and has been leading song circles on the East Coast for seven years. Liat is especially drawn to songs that have simple yet powerful lyrics and she believes that songs can be medicine and help us to heal.
Lyndsey Scott
Lyndsey loves community singing as a shared practice of Playing Attention. “Here we are! Now what?!” Born and still residing in east central IL, lately she’s been bicycling around the Heartland asking what songs it needs. She brings her artist-yogi self to her song-weaving: the wiggle and the weird are welcome. Her homespun ditties hope to get You skipping easily between the sacred, sexy, and sssssilly. Your inner child, exiled banshee, and wise elder are all invited to the circle!
Josh Blaine
Josh’s work as a community song leader began as an inquiry into the state of protest songs after the 2016 election, which sent him out on the road to interview dozens of musicians and song leaders for a project called “Finding Our Voice.” Since his return in the fall of 2017, he’s been leading regular community sings in the Texas State Capitol rotunda and other public spaces around Austin to build community and resilience through song. He’s also a regular song leader and organizer at rallies, meetings and marches for various organizations and social justice movements including IfNotNow and the Poor People’s Campaign.
Dodie Whitaker
Murmurations Choir: Vanessa Degrassi, Sean Walsh, and Laura Borealis
As a community choir in New Orleans, we meet once a week, all-year round. As the seasons turn, so does our song palette. Over the years we have learned many songs. We tend toward the curious, the creative, and the compelling; from elegantly simple to cathartically complex. Here we present selected favorites of ours, focusing on songs we, or those we know, have written, aiming to bring to you songs new, exciting, beautiful.
Ian Carrick
Last Year’s
Singing Rabbit Schedule
Friday, August 30, 2019
Noon- 6pm – Registration: arrive and get settled
4:00pm – Tour of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage
6:00pm – Circle up & Dinner
7:30/8:00pm – Fireside Open Song Circle w/ introduction of song-leaders
Saturday, August 31, 2019
7:00am – 8:00am – Morning Practice
7:00am – 9:00am – Registration open for any late arrivals
8:00am – 9:00am – Breakfast
9:30am – Morning Circle
10:15am – 12:00pm – Song Circles:
- Ian – Our Wild Voices
- Dodie – Now Let Us Sing!
12:15pm – Lunch
1:00pm – Tour of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage
2:00pm – 3:00pm – Skill-share/Community Offerings or rest time
3:15-4:30pm – Song Circles:
- Annie – Harmonic Basketry
- Ishka – Songs of healing and growth
4:50-6:00pm – Song Circles:
- Murmurations; New Orleans community Choir – Murmurs from New Orleans
- Amandacera – Songs That Settle Deep Into Your Bones
6:15pm – Circle up & Dinner
8:00pm – Fireside Open Song Circle
Sunday, September 1, 2019
7:00am – 8:00am – Morning Practice
8:00am – 9:00am – Breakfast
8:30am – Ultimate Frisbee (optional) – playing field
9:30am – Morning Circle
10:00am – 12:00pm – Song Circles:
- Lyndsey – Grief, Praise, & Pleasure: “Prayers” as Funky as U Are
- Josh – Songs of Healing and Resistance
12:15pm – Lunch
2:00pm – 3:30pm – Skill-share/Community Offerings or rest time
4:00pm – 6:00pm – Song Circle:
- Songs for Building Community (All song leaders head up 2-3 songs) All Camp
6:00pm – Circle up & Dinner
7:30pm – No-Talent Show – Hub
Dusk – Fireside Open Song Circle (10pm quiet hours begin – singing okay, no drumming)
Monday, September 2, 2019
7:00am – 8:00am – Morning Practice
8:00am – 9:00am – Breakfast
9:30am – Morning Circle
10:00am – 12:00pm – Song Circles:
- Annie – The Harvest
- Ian – Songs for Recovery
12:15pm – Lunch
2:00 – 3:45pm – Song highlights from the weekend with everyone
3:45pm – Closing Ritual
Additional Information
Arrive on Friday, September 4. Depart Monday afternoon, September 7nd.
We will work together cooperatively to provide three meals a day, packed with as much nourishing, local food as possible. We can work with a range of dietary needs – let us know your particulars when you fill out the registration form. Please note that we will do our best to accommodate different dietary needs but cannot guarantee that we will be able to, and you may need to bring supplemental food.
Indoor accommodations may be available to rent during the event for an additional fee. We have several options: rooms in cabins, private homes, and the bed & breakfast. Email us after you register to see what’s still available.
Child (age 6-17): $125
Children under 5: FREE
Can’t come for the whole weekend? Check out our day rates! Adult: $75
Child (age 6-17): $35
Children under 5: FREE
The all-inclusive fee covers meals, camping space (bring your own gear), showers, bathrooms, WiFi, and community building access. Indoor accommodations are available at an extra cost.
There are limited work trade options available for this event. Please inquire for details.