S P R I N G T E R M
songs to
grow with
23rd feb -
31st march
apply by
16.02
O V E R V I E W
This spring, we will sing to the seeds that we’re planting within us for the year ahead. Just like plants, we grow best when we bring attention to the conditions that support our flourishing: As above, so below, as within, so without.
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With voice, breath, and polyvagal practice, we will regulate our nervous systems and nourish the earth of our bodies. With lyrics and guided visualisation we will water our mindsets with messages of growth, possibility and courage. With vocal harmony and improvisation we will bring lightness to the emotional wellbeing of our hearts.
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As a community, we will amplify the ecosystem of our intentions as we work towards an immersive Spring Equinox performance at the Mount Without (31st March), in collaboration with Pete the Temp (Vibes Mechanics), and Danny Balla (Bristol Commons, Co-exist, Shift) .
S E T L I S T
I N S P I R A T I O N
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FaceSoul, Kate Bush, Beautiful Chorus, Cleo Sol, Lost Words Collective, Starling Arrow,
Kae Tempest, Nick Mulvey, Irene Cara, Alabaster de Plume, Portishead, Lamb, Ibeyi
R E H E A R S A L S
6 x w e e k s
m o n d a y s , 6 . 4 5 - 9 . 1 5 p m
h a n n a h m o r e
p r i m a r y s c h o o l​
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P E R F O R M A N C E
'e n c h a n t'
31.03
The Mount
Without
​​Immersive ceremonial performance to reclaim hope, agency + imagination
poetry | storytelling | promenade theatre | choral sound installation | synths | ritual | laughing | conversation
c o l l a b o r a t o r s
p e t e t h e t e m p
Pete Bearder is an award-winning spoken word poet, author and comic whose work has been featured on BBC Radio 4, Newsnight and the World Service.
Tonight, Pete releases a new collection of poetry: ‘Enchant: Cantillations for an Age of Despair’. Written before dawn, these poems explore enchantment as both gift and risk, asking how meaning and beauty arise, and what it costs to remain open to mystery in a disenchanted age.
d a n i e l b a l l a
Daniel is a creative facilitator dedicated to creating systemic change. He explores human relationships with the world and each other through immersive projects of participatory theatre, storytelling and film. He is passionate about facilitation and experiential tools for participatory democracy.
He has worked with Coexist since 2011, and is dedicated to exploring strategies for systemic change including Coexist’s manifesto to ‘Rebuild The Commons’.
S I N G W I T H T H E R I S I N G S A P O F S P R I N G
From midwinter to spring, flowers begin to emerge as if from nowhere overnight — a reminder that nature’s creativity unfolds slowly but surely, quietly building cell by cell over time into defiant life. In the face of our modern need for immediacy, spring teaches us patience, perseverance and faith in unseen things; that change and growth is inevitable; beauty wants to survive and thrive; life is cyclical and there is always darkness before the dawn. Spring is a heroe's journey from the cold to the warmth. It's a meme for the creative process, one that began with the Big Bang and continues to unfold within the phenomenon of our very existence. We are living evidence that miracles are possible, but they can take time and compound from small, consistent efforts + positive reinforcement.
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This is a magical time to sing, and the performance experience we will be creating on the 31st will be a meaningful opportunity to symbolically breathe life into personal + collective dreams and intentions, in a way that creates a lasting memory.
T H E M A G I C F O R M U L A O F S O N G I N
R E A L I S I N G P O S I T I V E C H A N G E
I N T H E B E G I N N I N G
Since humans first gathered, song has been used to cultivate inner states of being that support the conditions for outer manifestation. In many origin stories from indigenous cultures, song, sound and word were believed to have literally created the universe. Whether this is metaphor or supernatural fact, singing synchronises body, intention and emotion by aligning the breath, posture, movement, language and attention into one act.
B O D Y + M I N D + E M O T I O N
Research shows that slowing the breath and vibration of the voice lowers blood pressure, stimulates the vagus nerve, releases tension and improves emotional regulation. This helps us to think more flexibly and make better decisions. The repetition of words with melody somatically encodes clear goals with a supportive mindset, priming neural pathways for possibility, opportunity and follow-through.
S U P E R C O H E R E N C E
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Singing together with shared rhythm entrains group coherence by syncing breathing and heart rates. This fosters emotional co-regulation, social bonding and a rebuilding of trust in our shared humanity that expands beyond the group. People who sing together measurably collaborate better, shared visions become more confident and collective action strengthens.
A S P A C E T O R E - I M A G I N E + R E C L A I M
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Song creates a space to re-imagine and practise how we wish to think, feel and act in the world, normalising how this could be experienced in other areas of our lives also. Singing a song won’t fix all that is broken or manifest every dream with certainty, but it has provided an invaluable toolkit that strengthens our resilience in times of uncertainty, and boosts the chances of our success, which has stood the test of time.
a p p l y b y 1 6 . 0 2
£ 1 0 5 / 1 2 5 / 1 4 5
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