Weekly singing for self-care, connection and a more beautiful world.

Join us in the cosy Living Room at 99 York Street in downtown Kingston, Ontario, on Tuesday evenings from September 9th to December 16th for a rejuvenating dose of community and song. Whether you’re a seasoned songbird or someone who only ever sings in the shower, you are oh so welcome! ♥

Fall Dates & Location

Tuesday Evenings
~ Two 6-Week Terms ~
September 9th to October 14th
& November 11th to December 16th

5:45 pm
Doors Open

6:00 to 7:30 pm
Singing

7:30 to 8:15 pm
Community Gathering

in the Living Room @ Kingston Community House at 99 York

Membership

Sustaining Contribution for 6 Weeks of Singing: $135

Herbal Tea is included.

There will be a volunteer snack rotation.
Steph & Paul will bring gluten-free, nut-free, caffeine-free, vegan baked goodies to the first week!

☀

What To Expect

  • A welcoming environment that embraces you and your voice as they are.

  • Permission and encouragement to explore your voice at your own pace.

  • Opportunities to connect with like-hearted humans and experience a sense of community.

  • Easy-to-learn, heart-softening songs, ranging from playful to powerful and sacred, that will leave you feeling oh-so-OK in all of your tenderness.

There may be tears. There will certainly be laughter. Come prepared for the full range of feelings!

A Few Important Notes

  • Pre-registration is required.

  • Registration is limited to 15 participants at each gathering.

  • We need a minimum of 10 registrants to go ahead with a season of singing. We will let you know by Tuesday, September 2nd if we will proceed with the first term of singing. All fees will be refunded if the term is cancelled.

  • PWYC (Pay What You Can) registration options are available, allowing individuals to contribute less (including $0) or more than the suggested contribution according to their financial ability. We encourage you to give what is generous and sustainable for YOU, based on your very unique lived experience. The beauty of community is that where some can give less, others can give more, and it all works out.

  • If making a financial contribution is out of reach right now, but you have energy and skills to offer, please reach out, as we may have energy exchange spots available.

  • We are seeking to create a consistent community. Drop-in spaces at each circle are limited to 1-3 people. The sustaining drop-in rate is $25, when space permits. PWYC options are also available for drop-ins.

About Steph & Paul

Steph and Paul have been facilitating community song circles together for over 8 years. In a world where everything moves so fast and neighbours no longer know each other’s names, they feel the most important contribution they could make is to re-weave place-based community. Getting people singing is their favourite way of bringing people together!

Known by some as a musical “wizard,” Paul Barton makes clever use of his education in Jazz guitar and experience as a professional musician to help song circles run seamlessly. Steph Drouin is a trained community choir leader, Expressive Arts Therapist and expert space holder. Informed by a lifelong relationship with anxiety, she is passionate about creating spaces where you can feel safe to show up exactly as you are.

Get ready! As a team of gifted space holders and song weavers, Steph & Paul will not only create an accessible and uplifting musical experience for you but also an environment that is welcoming of your fierce and tender human self.

Tuesday Evening Registration

To save your spot, please fill out the form below and send an e-transfer of your chosen amount to gifts@fiercelyok.ca (no password required). If another payment method is required, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Please note that only registration for Term 1 (September 9th to October 14th) is available. We will email our mailing list when we open Drop-In spaces & Term 2 registration. Please join our mailing list HERE to receive updates.

 

Since ancient times, people have gathered to sing as a way of caring for themselves, each other, and the more-than-human world. Let's reclaim our collective wellness through the practice of community singing. Come find joy, strength, and solace in song with us.

FAQs

Who Is This For?

All voices and levels are welcome. No musical experience is necessary. In fact, people who only sing in the shower or car are especially welcome. We are all capable of making beautiful sound, and we would love to help you experience this birthright.

While we deeply value the presence of children in our community, this offering is geared toward adults. Young people who can remain engaged or entertain themselves quietly throughout the 1.5-hour event are welcome. Pre-crawling babies are welcome. Children under age 7 are free. For youth 7-14, the suggested contribution is $12.50 per circle. If bringing a young, energetic human would support you to show up, please be in touch with us and we will navigate the way forward together.

How do you support people of all abilities, identities and singing experiences to participate?

While we acknowledge that we have work to do, we are endeavouring to create spaces in which folks of all abilities, identities and singing experiences are able to participate in ways that are satisfying to them. All songs will be taught in the repeat-after-me style and will be simple enough to learn in one sitting.

If you feel concerned about being able to pick up the lyrics, rest assured that we will teach the songs in bite-size chunks and check in with you often. If a chunk is too long, we will teach a shorter chunk. We will move at a human pace and leave no one behind. If visual aids are helpful for you, please bring along a little notebook to jot down the lyrics and let us know if you would like any assistance catching the words. We're here to support you!

Unfortunately, the current space is not wheelchair accessible. There are stairs leading into the building and to the bathrooms. Please know that it’s our heartfelt intention to return to a fully accessible space as soon as our community has grown a little more and we’re able to secure a suitable venue.

All bathrooms are gender-neutral. We provide nametags for all participants, on which you can write your name and pronouns if you want. Everything is optional.

While we are working to anticipate your needs, we warmly invite you, if and when you feel safe enough, to let us know how we can best support you to show up. Together, as a community, we will grow.

What is your wellness/COVID policy?

We are currently asking that participants complete their own wellness self-assessment prior to attending Fiercely OK events. Please attend only if you are feeling well and have not recently been sick or been in contact with someone who was sick. If you are unsure of whether you should attend, please complete this self-assessment: https://www.ontario.ca/self-assessment/ and reach out to Steph. If any symptoms of COVID-19, flu or other contagious illness become apparent during the event or in the 5 days after the event, please notify Steph right away.

Decisions regarding how to practice physical distancing at Fiercely OK events are left to the discretion of individuals in attendance. Masks are optional and most likely *will not* be worn by most participants. We ask that all participants exercise caution and sensitivity with regard to masking, maintaining physical distance, and practising hand hygiene in the presence of other participants. In case the circumstances require masking, we recommend you bring a well-fitting N95 mask to the event. Please note that these guidelines and protocols are subject to change at any time without notice.

What is your refund policy?

We consider requests for refunds on a case-by-case basis. While we do not guarantee refunds for cancellations, unplanned absences or no-shows, we are committed to our relationship with you! Please be in touch with any concerns; we will work together to find an agreeable solution.

If you must cancel your attendance due to illness, you will be offered a credit which can be applied towards a future event hosted by Steph & Paul. If we need to cancel/postpone the event for any reason, we will offer participants the option to receive a full refund.

Any other questions?

Please do not hesitate to reach out to steph@fiercelyok.ca.