Song Leader Training:
Community Singing in the Oral Tradition
Thursday, March 26th - Sunday, March 29th, 2026
The Dharma Centre of Canada
Kinmount, Ontario
(2.5 hours from Toronto)
Join us for a 4-day immersive Song Leader Training at the stunning Dharma Centre of Canada near Toronto, Ontario. This training will support you to step into song-leading with confidence and purpose, no matter where you are starting from. All voices, genders, and backgrounds are welcome, and no singing experience is required.
This training is for you if…
You love Community Singing, and want to learn some tips, skills, and methods for leading groups in song
You already lead singing groups, and want to deepen your knowledge, confidence, and experience
You want to incorporate Community Singing into your current work and the spaces you hold
You have a desire to build community through the power of oral-tradition group singing
You want to improve the wellbeing of others, this world, and yourself
You have no formal musical or singing experience but you LOVE to sing
You have a dream to do work that is deeply fulfilling, creative, and brings you and others joy
You are ready to make a bigger commitment and investment in your song-leading future
What you’ll learn in this training…
An overview of Community Singing and why it’s an essential ‘technology of belonging’ for these modern times
The basics of facilitation: how to create a warm, inclusive, and relaxed singing environment
How to teach songs by ear, in the oral tradition of call-and-response: rounds, ‘layer’ songs, and harmonies
Courting the song: how to cultivate relationship with a song, in order to lead from a place of embodied presence
Reading the group: How to choose songs for specific groups, situations, and moments
Honouring the origin of songs: Cultural appreciation vs. cultural appropriation
Gestures and embodiment: How to use your hands, body, and posture to guide the group
The Arc of a Song Circle: How to curate the flow and pace of your Community Singing session
How to effectively integrate group singing into your current work and the spaces you hold
How to build a singing community: methods and strategies for community engagement
The business of song-leading: marketing, admin, and having your back-end systems in place
Practice! Practice! Practice! Have the opportunity to lead a song with the group, and receive constructive feedback
What’s included in this training…
All training sessions during the 4-day immersion, facilitated by Mila and a team of three skilled assistants
Private or shared room accommodations at the Dharma Centre of Canada
3 delicious, home-cooked meals/day, coffee, tea, and snacks
A robust ‘basket’ of songs to get you started on your song-leading journey
The ultimate Community Singing textbook: Song Carrier Toolkit by Liz Rog
A post-training (Online) Integration Session with your cohort
A community of practitioners to learn and grow with
A private WhatsApp group for those who’ve completed the training
An opportunity to join the Song Leader Training Alumni program, for continued mentorship and peer-led support
Schedule of our training days
Thursday:
4:00 pm: Arrival, settle in, walk the land, and drink some tea
6:00 pm: Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm: Opening Circle & Evening Session
Friday & Saturday:
8:00 am - 9:00 am: Breakfast
9:30 am - 12:30 pm: Morning Session
12:30 - 2:30 pm: Lunch Break
2:30 pm - 5:00 pm: Afternoon Session
6:00 pm: Dinner
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm: Evening Session
Sunday:
8:00 am - 9:00 am: Breakfast
9:30 am - 12:30 pm: Morning Session
12:30 - 2:00 pm: Lunch & Pack Up
2:00 pm: Departure
Meet Your Trainer
Mila Redwood is a Community Song Leader, Mother, and the Founder of Sing for Joy in Toronto. Mila uses song as a tool for building community, for restoring our sense of belonging and connection in a fragmented world. She is passionate about singing together in the oral tradition, in the simple yet powerful ways that people have done for time immemorial. As the Founder of Sing for Joy, Mila pioneered a Community Singing movement in Ontario that has grown exponentially over the past decade. To read more about Mila, including her personal singing story, click here.
Location
We are fortunate to hold this training at the stunning Dharma Centre of Canada in Kinmount, Ontario. Located on 400 acres of boreal forest, there is a myriad of wildlife in the woodland, meadows, beaver ponds, creeks and lake. During our training sessions, we’ll gather in the warm and welcoming sanctuary space for loads of learning and singing together. For meals, we’ll gather in the charming Main House that boasts a rich history, lovely communal dining room, and a comfortable lounge. All training participants will have single or double room accommodations. To learn more about the Dharma Centre, visit their website by clicking here.
Booking & Registration
All prices are in Canadian dollars. The prices below are per person and all-inclusive. Rooms will be reserved on a first-come-first-served basis. Please indicate your preferred accommodations on the booking form.
Double Room: Two single beds, shared bathroom - $1180 (plus sales tax)
Single Room: Private room with single bed, shared bathroom - $1315 (plus sales tax)
This price includes:
All training sessions during the 4-day immersion, facilitated by Mila and a team of three skilled assistants
Private or shared room accommodations at the Shadow Lake Centre
3 delicious, home-cooked meals/day, coffee, tea, and snacks
A robust ‘basket’ of songs to get you started on your song-leading journey
The ultimate Community Singing textbook: Song Carrier Toolkit by Liz Rog
A post-training (Online) Integration Session with your cohort
A community of practitioners to learn and grow with
A private WhatsApp group for those who’ve completed the training
An opportunity to join the Song Leader Training Alumni program, for continued mentorship and peer-led support
Payment Options:
There are two payment options for this training:
Pay in full at time of booking
Payment plan of three instalments, with a deposit to secure your booking (second and third payments due on December 15th and January 15th)
Payment can be made by e-transfer, credit card, or cash (for local folks)
Scholarships:
There are two partial scholarship spots for this training. To learn more and apply for one of these spots, you can click here.
Terms & Conditions:
Please read the Terms & Conditions prior to booking your spot. This includes information on payments, refund and cancellation policy, and more. Click here to read the Terms & Conditions.
Booking Your Spot:
Pre-registration will open on November 12th, for folks on the Waitlist. To be included in the pre-registration for Waitlist participants only, click here to join the Waitlist. Registration will open to the general public one week after pre-registration for Waitlist participants.
Health & Wellness Agreements
In an effort to keep everyone healthy, we ask that you stay home if you are sick, or have tested positive for covid in the five days before, or have had an exposure with someone who has tested positive in the past five days.
Masking is optional and welcome. For the purpose of creating an impactful training experience, Mila will not be wearing a mask.
As we continue to navigate these post-pandemic times, we warmly encourage everyone to check in with each other before hugging, hand shakes, and even close-talking. We all come with different comfort levels, and I trust that we can navigate this terrain together throughout the training.
Words from past participants…
“Mila embodies the spirit of this work—that music isn't just something we perform, but a shared language that helps us connect to ourselves and each other. Through thoughtful exercises, reflection, and practice, Mila showed us how to cultivate sacred moments of collective resonance. This wasn't a technical exercise, but a deeper experiential learning process that revealed the transformative power of Community Singing as a practice of presence, joy and human connection.” - Mary Tangelder, Toronto, Ontario
“Mila's Song Leader training was an absolute delight! As someone completely new to song leading, I felt welcomed and supported. Mila made it possible for me to learn at my own pace while benefiting from not only her wisdom, but from the wisdom of the other more experienced leaders in the group. I was exposed to a variety of song leading styles, tips and tricks, but what I really took away from the training was a greater sense of confidence in my own unique offerings and a group supporting me to step into my full Self as a leader of the circle. Thank you Mila and thank you to the other amazing Song Leaders who all helped to make this training something I will always treasure.” - Robin Breger, Ottawa, Ontario
“Thank you so much for creating and holding a container for the beautiful, gentle, and powerful training last weekend. Your way of guiding the group allowed me to believe in myself and take a small step at a time, to step into my power. I believe this magical space was possible because of how you modelled self-compassion and deep listening. I am learning so much from your leadership, and I am comforted to know that I have a community of Song Leaders whom I can continue learning from and collaborating with!” - Rieko Asaba, Toronto, Ontario
“I came to this training with a love of Community Singing and an understanding of the great need to "normalize" the gift of song medicine in our everyday lives. After 3+ days of communal learning, both from Mila and from and with the other inspirational folx in the group - all of us questioning, practicing, imagining - I came away with everything I need to begin leading Song Circles in my own community, with "connection, not perfection" at the centre. No excuses now!” - Lisa Donahue, Boulder, Colorado
“Mila's Song Leader training was a journey for my heart, mind, body, and spirit. Not only was I able to learn dozens of beautiful, accessible, teachable songs to use with my groups, I felt welcomed, celebrated, and inspired by the community of incredible, open-hearted souls that were also called to participate in this experience. Mila's expert facilitation allowed the participants to feel cared for, seen, and capable from the first moments we walked through the door.” - Amber Mills, Hamilton, Ontario
“Mila created the warmest and most welcoming atmosphere to leap into the world of song leading. She is supportive, full of wisdom and deeply passionate about this work. She makes you feel so safe to take risks, leap into creativity and let your spirit soar.” - Courtney Evans, Erin, Ontario
I respectfully acknowledge that this training will take place on the traditional territory of the Michi Saagiig and Chippewa Nations, collectively known as the Williams Treaties First Nations. I strive to learn to recognize my part in the ongoing history of colonization, and to understand how our community can work towards reconciliation, repair, and uplifting indigenous values and traditions.