Stepping Into The Circle

Stepping Into The Circle is for folks who are looking to practice the craft of leading circlesongs. For folks who have experience with singing, improvising, and the art of circlesinging, and who are looking to try their hand at leading a song or two (or maybe even starting a circle of their own)!

This precious art form is a practice that melds together the skills of:

• improvising
• composing
• arranging
• conducting
• facilitating
• choreographing
• teaching
• and performing!

The only way to get better at leading circlesongs is to DO IT!! So this circle will be largely focused on giving folks practice experience in the center of the circle.

We will begin this session by warming up the improvisatory muscles and doing some small group & partner play.

Then, each participant will get about 5 minutes in the middle of the circle to play, with an option for 1-2 minutes of affirmations, reflections, and/or feedback the circle.

And of course, somehow, together, we’ll flow into an ending.

We can’t wait to hear what songs you spin up!

LIMITED CAPACITY: This event will be limited to 18 singers, to ensure that everyone has a chance to step in. If you aren’t able to join us for this session, fear not: there will be more!

This session will be facilitated by the luminous Simi Yuyu.

Simi Yuyu (she/her) is an interdisciplinary artist, creating magic through experiences, design, and embodied practices. Her latest album, “P O T I O N S,” was celebrated as a best new album on NPR’s ‘All Songs Considered’ in 2021. 

She is passionate about the healing power of communal musicmaking. She studied vocal improvisation at Bobby Mcferrin’s Circlesong School, and seeks to empower others to reclaim their creativity and voices. She also teaches on the faculty of Carnegie Hall’s Weill Institute, offering connective music education to families in NYC.

For more info, or for any & all questions, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected].

RESPECT THE SPACE!

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

PHYSICAL ACCESSIBILITY

• This event is wheelchair accessible
• The space has chairs available to sit on

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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 & 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 [email protected].

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 [email protected].

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 [email protected] for volunteer opportunities or assistance!

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, & 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 & others at the door.

FAQ

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

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Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Balance Arts Center, 151 West 30th Street, New York, United States