WisconSing! (501c non profit in process)
Singing raises your vibration,
it is restorative energetic medicine for your mind, body and soul.
Community Singing raises the whole group up,
it is a medicinal salve that restores us to ourselves, each other and the Web of Life. We are weaving a resonant, supportive community within our harmonies.
Singing Together: More Than Meets the Eye
All voices are welcome regardless of creed, color, background, gender or identity. We are an intergenerational community, building meaningful connections in song, learning to harmonize in every way.
"The main mission of Community Singing is to re-acquaint people with their birthright and natural ability to make beautiful and meaningful sound together. Most of the songs... are short, easy to learn, chant-like
songs with several layers that fit over and around each other in interesting and pleasurable rhythmic and harmonic challenges that make them fun to sing.
Group singing is one of the most ancient and primal “technologies of belonging” that we
humans have been using since our earliest times, possibly before speech itself. When
we make joyous and passionate song together, it nourishes our souls and offers an
enlivening gift back to the natural world that made us and gives us our sustenance and
our very being. When such an exchange is genuinely made, and the song finds its
natural ending, often there is a sweet, lively silence in which we simply stand and hold
the “enchantment,” the sense of deep and genuine communion amongst each other and
with the whole living world.”
Song leading in this context is sacred work, reuniting people who have lost their voices
in our culture with the simple pleasure of giving voice to their soul."
Laurence Cole - Community Song Leader, Song Writer, Grief Tender, Wise Elder
WisconSing offers 2 community singing retreats a year, a spring equinox gathering and a longer end of summer event.
Participants experience the co-creation of a “conscious singing village". All participants are encouraged to share their gifts, creating a rich and diverse experience for all. Coming together in this heart-centered way, with our primary intention being just to sing together, creates safety. In this container of safety we connect to ourselves, each other, the land and all that is.
We are intentionally an intergenerational gathering, babies to elders and everyone in between, intermingling as our hearts guide us. Currently our oldest participant is 89 years old. We share our meals together. We acknowledge the land and her previous caretakers together. We sing, dance, make art, connect with nature and each other on a deeper level.
You can’t do this wrong. Singing together in this way is healing, joyful, and teaches us how we can fit into the structure of our community. It literally provides life-long tools to empower and increase resiliency.
WisconSing26:
An Intergenational Community Singing Camp creating a Village of Belonging...Together!
REGISTRATION LINK:
https://wisconsing.corsizio.com/event/69b55aa84aee3804c47c10c8
Dates: August 12 - 16, 2026.
Check-in: Wednesday August 12 at 5:00pm, Thursday (Opening circle:1PM)
Check-out: Sunday 2 pm
Location: Defiance Springs Lodge & Camp
Address: E6801 Dustin Road, Viroqua, WI
Welcome! We are excited to host WisconSing26: Creating a Singing Village of Belonging...Together!
We look forward to welcoming all of our wonderful songleaders and all of you as we co-create our WisconSing song village in our new home at Defiance Springs Lodge & Camp.
This summer we'll celebrate together in a festival of community song, dance, sound, artistic expression, connection and playfulness on 100 acres of beautiful land in the Driftless area. About 180 participants will gather at Defiance Springs, surrounded by the Driftless hills and bordered by creek and springs, to allow for peaceful enjoyment of water and nature. Oh what a glorious sound we will make in the privacy of this amazing place.
Our intention is to create a singing village connected to the land, where each participant, from the youngest to the oldest, can relax, connect, play and sing from the authenticity of who they are.
Singing in this way is an empowering collective response to the state of the world today. Join the returning WisconSing community to help weave the world together through songs of love, grief, celebration and spirit. We bring the medicine of song to each other, therein creating a place of harmonious community. We have experienced that when we gather together in this way a true sense of belonging emerges.
Come nestle into a beautiful setting amongst the bluffs of the Driftless, where we eat real food made with love, gather around the nighttime fire, and a living creek system winds through it all.
In addition to singing, there will be time to rest, create, relax, hike, dance, wander in nature, sauna, celebrate and recreate.
We have an amazing team of song leaders this year!
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Sarina Partridge
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Sheniqua Trotman
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Karly Loveling
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Liz Rog
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Lauren McElroy
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Sarah Burgess
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Tatiana Berindei
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Kva Mary Wajer
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Beth Patterson
All voices are welcome at this family friendly event. We welcome people of all ages, races, backgrounds, genders, and identities. We are intentionally an inter-generational community.
We intentionally set up the children's space and most of their activities in sight of the main singing circle on the grass around us. Jennifer Keely Yonda, a Waldorf teacher, will be overseeing the children and their activities at camp. The children's role at the camp is to create beauty. They will be creating earth mandalas, and bobbles for the trees, nature based art projects, singing, dancing and more.
Registration for the entire event includes:
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5 days/4 nights off-grid camping
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10 whole food vegetarian meals (with a meat option for lunches) made w/love by Ruthie Hampton
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access to outdoor shower, creek dunking, sauna
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access to this beautiful Driftless land and all the weekend programming
The cost is $375 for a 5 day/4 night stay with meals from Thursday lunch to Sunday lunch.
We have reserved 2 larger airbnbs and a few home stays in Viroqua area for participants who need to stay off-site and there are a many choices of motels, VRBO and AirBnB offerings in the Viroqua area.
Email Michael for information or to reserve WisconSing hosted private room & shared off-site housing.
email: mkirsch444@gmail.com
Thank you for your interest in joining us to co-create this singing village of belonging in the Driftless hills!
Contact us at wisconsing2020@gmail.com.
Registration Fees: Adult $375/Teen$225/Child $50/Wee Ones $0
Please note:
Your generosity is greatly appreciated. If you can contribute more to support scholarships, song leaders and the event as a whole, there will be a question at the end. We ask for your generosity in supporting the community if you are able. Thank you.
LODGING OPTIONS
Off grid camping in any designated area on the moved grass or fields is included in registration fee. No electric.
Spaces for RV's and car camping are available, please reserve.
Rustic-glam tents already setup in the WisconSing Village Glampground by WisconSing. (about 20)
Private, 2 room tents, and 2-4 person shared tents already set up and ready for your arrival provided in the Village Glampgroud.
WisconSing Community Airbnb
Sitting Pretty Farm's Cabin currently has 1 bedroom and 2 loft spaces open. All beds are queen.
