The Musical Body · SUMMER VILLAGE

Singing · Moving · Making · Playing · Sharing

2–9 January and/or 10–17 January 2027

Newham, Macedon Ranges, Victoria

Come for a whole week — or join us for a Pop-Up Day.

The Musical Body SUMMER VILLAGE is a small, family-friendly, intergenerational summer gathering around movement, voice, collective vocal improvisation, rhythm, creativity, play, connection, nature and community.

For a week — or two — we’ll create a little temporary Village where adults, teenagers and children can sing, move, make, play, eat, rest and share everyday life together.

There’ll be facilitated adult-centred body–voice–connection practice each morning, spacious and emergent afternoons, shared meals, optional offerings and exchanges, time outside, and the ordinary pleasures and practicalities of making a little Village together.

No previous singing, movement, vocal improvisation or The Musical Body experience is required.

A SMALL INTERGENERATIONAL VILLAGE

Each week will have a maximum of 24 core Village members, always with an adult majority.

Adults coming without children are every bit as welcome as adults coming with children.

You can participate in one of two ways:

FULL WEEK — become part of the Village from arrival through to closing, including our shared set-up, five facilitated practice days, everyday Village life and pack-down.

POP-UP DAY — a small number of places are available to join for a whole day, approximately 8am–9pm. Pop-Up Days are Monday–Friday in Week One and Tuesday–Saturday in Week Two, with a maximum of three Pop-Up participants each day.

THE RHYTHM

Full-week participants need to be available for the entire Village period, from arrival through to closing. Everyone’s presence for set-up, shared life and pack-down is part of how the Village is co-created.

WEEK ONE — 2–9 JANUARY

Sat 2 — arrive + settle in (1-3pm)

Sun 3 — orientation + make the Village together

Mon 4–Fri 8 — five facilitated practice days

Sat 9 — pack-down, reflection + closing (finish @ 3pm)

WEEK TWO — 10–17 JANUARY

Sun 10 — arrive + settle in (1-3pm)

Mon 11 — orientation + make the Village together

Tue 12–Sat 16 — five facilitated practice days

Sun 17 — pack-down, reflection + closing (finish @3pm)

On our five practice days, MORNINGS include approximately three hours of facilitated adult-centred body–voice–connection exploration, drawing from The Musical Body Process and/or practices including collective vocal improvisation, embodied voice, movement, rhythm, listening, Circle Singing, Música do Círculo, TaKeTiNa, composition, improvisation and more.

AFTERNOONS are spacious + emergent: making, singing, movement, swimming, nature, games, bodywork, gardening, conversations, children’s activities, naps, reading, family time, spontaneous collaborations, skill-sharing and whatever emerges.

Lunch and dinner are shared communal meals, and evenings are open and emergent.

CHILDREN + TEENAGERS

Children and teenagers are warmly welcome as part of the social and creative life of the Village.

During the adult-centred morning practice, we’ll create a Children’s Space where children can play, make, read and explore with Children’s Space Companions and/or babysitters arranged by parents.

We’re interested in the Village as a place to explore different models of shared care, companionship and intergenerational community.

VILLAGE LIFE

This is a participatory Village rather than a serviced retreat.

Everyone contributes to meals, dishes, cleaning and caring for our shared spaces. Full-week participants also take part in set-up and pack-down.

Afternoons can include entirely optional offerings and exchanges — perhaps craft, singing, movement, bodywork, an Aware Parenting conversation, a nature adventure or something else someone loves. Or you might nap, read, wander, swim or spend time with family.

There’s no expectation that you need to offer anything.

FOOD + ACCOMMODATION

Seven shared lunches and six shared dinners are included for full-week participants, with breakfast, tea and personal snacks BYO.

Affordable local camping and a limited number of bedrooms across three homes will be coordinated as part of the Village.

COST + EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

We’re using an experimental shared-cost model rather than setting a fixed price before we know who is coming and what each Village requires. At this stage, we anticipate full-week contributions, including accommodation, ranging from approximately $75–$750, depending on age, accommodation needs and the final mix of participants. Children and teenagers will have lower, age-appropriate contributions, with children aged two and under free.

The shared budget supports facilitation and hosting, Food & Village Coordination roles, food, accommodation, pre- and post-Village preparation and reflection, and the practical infrastructure that makes the Village possible. People offered a place will receive a waiver to sign, a pre-Village questionnaire (which can be answered in writing or by voice note), a breakdown of the shared budget, their estimated financial contribution, and detailed participation information — including fire and first-aid plans, a site map with emergency areas, an overview of Village life and chores, and a resources list.

A non-refundable deposit of $200 per individual or $300 per family will then be needed to confirm your place and will form part of your final contribution.

Because we’re intentionally creating a particular adult/teen/child balance and small-group ecology, submitting an EOI doesn’t automatically guarantee a place.

THE EXPERIMENT / RESEARCH

What happens when creative practice isn’t separated from the rest of life?

When children, teenagers, adults, meals, dishes, bodies, music, friendships, rest, nature, making things and artistic practice are all allowed to belong in the same ecosystem?

How might a Village like this support a more inclusive culture of collective vocal improvisation — where more people can improvise songs in response to life, and create music as ceremony, ritual, celebration and a way of making space for the many feelings and experiences of being human: joy, play, grief, tears, anger and everything in between?

And how might these practices travel home with us, becoming part of everyday life rather than something that only happens in a workshop?

Over time, I’m also curious about how the Village itself might become increasingly shared, fluid and easeful — with the work of creating and holding it distributed across the community, rather than resting primarily with one facilitator or host.

For a week — or two — we’ll make a little Village and explore.

ABOUT CHARLOTTE + THE MUSICAL BODY

Charlotte Roberts is a Mama, facilitator, composer, collective vocal improvisational artist and creator/researcher of The Musical Body: Exploring the Spaces Between Life and Music.

Charlotte has been facilitating creative and community-based work since 2003, with more than twenty years exploring the spaces where artistic practice and everyday life meet.

KEEN TO COME?

Register your expression of interest through Humanitix.

An EOI isn’t yet a confirmed booking and no payment is required at this stage.

Questions very welcome!

Charlotte Roberts

The Musical Body — Exploring the Spaces Between Life and Music

music.charlotte.roberts@gmail.com

linktree.com/charlotterobertsmusic (Here you'll find links to Charlotte's albums, Vocal Threads Podcast, 1:1 and small group facilitation offerings, Community of Practice-building gatherings and research into The Musical Body Process and collective vocal improvisation)

Contact the host of The Musical Body Summer Village