Community Grief Choir - May 2025

Schedule

Sat May 10 2025 at 06:00 pm to 09:30 pm

UTC-07:00

Location

4741 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118, USA | Seattle, WA

Advertisement
Saturday, May 10 at 6:00 - 9:30 p.m
Location: The Village Witch Hive, South Seattle
Sliding scale $40-$100, limited scholarships available
EVENT PAGE: https://events.humanitix.com/community-grief-choir-may-2025
DESCRIPTION:
"Sing / Because this is a food our starving world needs.
Laugh / Because that is the purest sound." - Hafiz
Fellow villagers, friends, elders-in-training, ancestors-in-training & the like, with our hearts open and tender, strong and resilient, we humbly and enthusiastically invite you to the first iteration of Community Grief Choir.
***What is it?***
Community Grief Choir is a friendship-led, non-performative relational and musical healing space. In this sacred container, we welcome in the multi-faceted expressions of grief, joy, anger, desire, fear, longing (etc.) — emotions that are so often suppressed and stuck in our bodies — to be honored, expressed and, ultimately, transformed in the sacred witness of others. No need to be “good” at singing — this space is open to anyone who feels called to explore and express grief and praise through rhythm, vocal movement, beauty, and sharing what’s on your heart.
All are welcome!
- - - - - - - - - -
"Embrace your grief. For there, your soul will grow." - Carl Jung
***Why is it happening?***
Community Grief Choir is a space to swim out into the waters of collective depth, attunement and belonging, together.
This is a place to try things out, unlock our hearts and encourage one another to explore our depths as a people and as a collective. Through our gathering, in presence and emergence, we will cocreate a space together that leans into the collective intelligence of the group for its wisdom and direction. We do this tender work so that we can show up for ourselves, our families and our communities with more fullness and presence. We do this with the intention of learning how to acknowledge and transform our personal and global grief into something that opens us up to the true preciousness of life; something that is beautiful, generative and nourishing for each of us, our loved ones and the greater web of life of which we are all a part.
- - - - - - - - - - -
***What can I expect?***
Expect tears, big laughs, tender heartache and healing attention. Expect to feel things. Expect realness and an encouragement to be vibrant, beautiful, and messy in our aspirations toward wholeness. Expect to be offered a courageous space to loosen your armor, let go of your masks, and open up your voice - and heart - with the essential aid of supportive community and care.
Everything here is an invitation. We'll begin by circling up and orienting the group around a collectively-created central altar. We'll then make our agreements, offer our acknowledgements to the land, to the ancestors, to seen and unseen allies (etc.), and invoke a collective intention that we'll use to guide us throughout our time together.
There will then be a time of go-arounds where each person will be given the chance to express their voice and heart in a way that feels genuine for them (sincerity and courage is the name of the game, here). We'll then drop into a space of deeper sharing, and co-created music. We'll do this by opening up the floor for an extended time of emergent discussion, movement, sound-making, rhythm and singing held and supported by Brian 'Yam' Dwyer & Siena Tenisci.
It will likely not be what you expect because we tend to lean into improvisation, freedom of expression and whatever is most alive in the circle at any given moment. Here is where we most heavily lean into our collective knowing and the inherent wisdom of our ancestors to show us the way. Meaning, the best parts of this container cannot be planned, anticipated or premeditated.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
***What do you mean by choir? ***
We use the term 'choir' with a loose grip here! This is a low-pressure, highly participatory, judgement free environment. No prior experience with singing, choirs, playing music, grief-tending or being in groups is necessary to join in. Or even a need to be a “good singer.” No one is singled out and everyone is welcome to join in exactly as they are.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
"Rituals are the churches without walls, the antidote to our denial. Feeling together can both bring us together and free us."
- Prentis Hemphill (What It Takes To Heal)
LINEAGE OF TEACHERS
The style of grief-tending in this container is informed by - but not a direct descendant of - the teachings and offerings of Malidoma Patrice Somé, Sobonfu Somé, The Dagara People of Burkina Faso, West Africa, Resmaa Menakem, Francis Weller, Joanna Macy, Martín Prechtel, Laurence Cole, Thérèse Charvet, Tere Carranza, Collin Brown, and others. We give thanks and praise to each of them for their ongoing guidance, and recognize that none of what we are offering would be possible without their vital and ongoing contributions to the world of grief-tending.

REGISTRATION:
We offer sliding scale pricing in support of economic justice, which requires your active participation in determining where you fall on the scale. We ask that you be as generous as you are able in order to increase accessibility and support facilitator well-being. Please read the tier descriptions closely as a guide for selecting the tier that best fits your resources and/or limitations.

FACILITATORS:
Brian "Yam" Dwyer is a community song leader, music weaver, rhythm bringer, and student of emergent ritual space. His interactive, inclusive teaching style is rooted in the belief that music is every human’s inherent birthright and that singing together in community helps us remember who we truly are—as humans, as a people, and as a living, dreaming planet. He views music as a living line of connection to our ancestors, the cosmos, and our more-than-human kin. A cisgender white man of Irish, Italian, Polish, and Jewish descent, Brian has studied music, rhythm, and improvisational singing for over 30 years, and transformative men's work for 7 years, focusing on the intersection of men, grief, and singing. Since 2022, he has held grief ritual space for men in the Cascadia Bio-region. He currently resides on the stolen ancestral lands of the Lummi, Nooksack, and Coast Salish peoples (Bellingham, WA), where he is a dedicated friend, partner, co-parent, and father to a 10-year-old son.
Siena Tenisci, MA, LMHC, is a therapist and founder of Northwest Grief Tending, a practice dedicated to the facilitation of grief rituals and community healing. As a descendant of Abruzzese and Celtic lineages, Siena has been working to revive ancestral keening traditions, where women once held central and respected roles in helping communities metabolize grief through vocal and communal rituals. With over ten years of experience, her approach to grief work has been shaped by many teachers, including Sobonfu and Malidoma Somé, Joanna Macy, Therese Charvet, Laurence Cole, Francis Weller, and Vince Horan. Siena’s work is also grounded in her MA in Counseling from Antioch University in Seattle, integrating Internal Family Systems, body-based methods, and anti-oppression frameworks to support clients on their healing paths.
Questions? Please email Siena at [email protected]
Advertisement

Where is it happening?

4741 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118, USA, United States

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Northwest Grief Tending

Host or Publisher Northwest Grief Tending

It's more fun with friends. Share with friends

Discover More Events in Seattle

Alison Moyet in Seattle
Sat, 10 May, 2025 Alison Moyet in Seattle

The Showbox

CONCERTS MUSIC
Rock the Block: Rodeo Roundup
Sat, 10 May, 2025 at 05:00 pm Rock the Block: Rodeo Roundup

2550 34th Ave W, Seattle, WA, United States, Washington 98199

RODEO PARTIES
Speed Dating | Ages 25-39 | Seattle Saturday Night | SpeedSeattle
Sat, 10 May, 2025 at 05:00 pm Speed Dating | Ages 25-39 | Seattle Saturday Night | SpeedSeattle

Moxy Seattle Downtown

SPEED-DATING ENTERTAINMENT
SAGA Fest 2025
Sat, 10 May, 2025 at 05:30 pm SAGA Fest 2025

WithinSodo

FESTIVALS NONPROFIT
Golden West, Randy Weeks and The Silent Treatment, and The Enthusiasts
Sat, 10 May, 2025 at 06:30 pm Golden West, Randy Weeks and The Silent Treatment, and The Enthusiasts

The Royal Room

MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
A Brush With Nature
Sat, 10 May, 2025 at 06:30 pm A Brush With Nature

5500 Phinney Ave N, Seattle, WA, United States, Washington 98103

ART SIP-AND-PAINT
Model\/Actriz, Dove Armitage
Sat, 10 May, 2025 at 06:30 pm Model/Actriz, Dove Armitage

Madame Lou's

ART THEATRE
Model\/Actriz at Madame Lou's
Sat, 10 May, 2025 at 06:30 pm Model/Actriz at Madame Lou's

Madame Lou's

ART THEATRE
Indigo Dyeing and Texture Weaving Two-part Workshop Series
Sun, 16 Jul, 2023 at 11:45 am Indigo Dyeing and Texture Weaving Two-part Workshop Series

THE SILVER STUDIO

WORKSHOPS ART
Open Mic at Heard Coffee
Wed, 18 Oct, 2023 at 07:00 pm Open Mic at Heard Coffee

115 S Jackson St

ART MUSIC
Workshop Orientation Class
Mon, 04 Dec, 2023 at 06:00 pm Workshop Orientation Class

NE Seattle Tool Library

WORKSHOPS MUSIC
St Andrews Pub Open Mic Sign-Up
Tue, 20 Feb, 2024 at 07:00 pm St Andrews Pub Open Mic Sign-Up

St. Andrews Pub, Aurora Avenue North, Seattle, WA, USA

OPEN-MIC ART
RESCHEDULING Cedar Dreamer, Mountain Holler, Serpentent @ BALLARD HOMESTEAD
Mon, 01 Jul, 2024 at 07:30 pm RESCHEDULING Cedar Dreamer, Mountain Holler, Serpentent @ BALLARD HOMESTEAD

Ballard Homestead

MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Zoe with Xiu Xiu
Thu, 29 Aug, 2024 Zoe with Xiu Xiu

Moore Theatre

ART THEATRE
The Sonic Alchemy Workshop: Awaken Your Creative Expression Through Music
Fri, 22 Nov, 2024 at 09:00 am The Sonic Alchemy Workshop: Awaken Your Creative Expression Through Music

Seattle

WORKSHOPS ART
Glazer's Video Fundamentals - Part 1
Sat, 11 Jan, 2025 at 12:30 pm Glazer's Video Fundamentals - Part 1

Glazer's Camera - Classroom on 2nd Floor

WORKSHOPS ENTERTAINMENT
Glazer's Video Fundamentals - Part 2
Sun, 12 Jan, 2025 at 12:30 pm Glazer's Video Fundamentals - Part 2

Glazer's Camera - Classroom on 2nd Floor

WORKSHOPS ENTERTAINMENT
Hydro Funk
Fri, 07 Feb, 2025 at 09:00 pm Hydro Funk

Vermillion Art Gallery and Bar

ENTERTAINMENT MUSIC
Seattle Symphony: Constantine Kitsopoulos - Baahubali: The Beginning Live in Concert
Wed, 05 Mar, 2025 at 04:00 pm Seattle Symphony: Constantine Kitsopoulos - Baahubali: The Beginning Live in Concert

Benaroya Hall - S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium

CONCERTS MUSIC
Capitol Hill Art Walk @ Chophouse Row
Thu, 13 Mar, 2025 at 05:00 pm Capitol Hill Art Walk @ Chophouse Row

Chophouse Row

ART MUSIC

What's Happening Next in Seattle?

Discover Seattle Events