Women and femmes are in a non-stop movement for their safety and freedom. In times of trouble, singing has not only been a vital source of self-expression, but also a strategy to share tactics for survival. 

In this 6 week class, we’ll nestle into winter time and gather round

the hearth as we:

֎ Explore women’s roles as witches, warriors, survivors and justice-seekers. 

֎ Settle into the good feelings of “slow time” and learn the ancient art of ballad singing

֎ Learn historic tactics for bodily autonomy, freedom, sexual choice and collective liberation

֎ Create our own songs inspired by tradition

Generation after generation of singers have passed down these songs. Now it’s your turn to learn them. 

You can take this course online or in person

This page is for folks interested in the IN-PERSON CLASS, taking place Jan 13th-Feb 17th, on Mondays from 6:30-8:30pm in Asheville, NC (full schedule is below).

Click HERE to learn about the VIRTUAL VERSION of this course.

“This course was an absolute joy! I find myself humming or singing some of the songs we learned throughout my day, and I've already been sharing them with others.”

-Rev. Aisha Ansano

How the Course Works

During this course, you will be introduced to traditional songs about badass women,* learning these songs in classes using an engaging and accessible sing-and-repeat method. Along the way, you’ll learn about the histories, folklore, and real people behind the songs- and become a carrier (and creator!) of these songs yourself.

This course starts with an introductory class, followed by 5 weeks of learning and content. Each week will focus on a specific theme related to Badass Women in Folk Song (see list below).

In the days leading up to each weekly class, students will typically receive a lecture (audio + PDF formats provided), 2-4 recordings of songs, and a YouTube playlist all focused on that week’s theme. Then, in that week’s in person class, we’ll enjoy vocal warmups, check in with each other, learn a few songs and take time to discuss what these songs teach us about women’s history and strategies for survival. Some classes will include exercises for song writing “in the tradition.” As the course progresses, participants will also be invited to write their own songs or poems inspired by the songs we’re learning. During the last week of Badass Women in Folk Song, a session will be held for participants to share a song they’ve learned or written.

*Who do we mean when we say “women?”

When we talk about women’s experiences in this course, we’re talking about people perceived of, treated as, or identified as women both historically and today. In other words, people who have gendered themselves as women or been gendered by the broader culture as women. This includes trans women, nonbinary folks and other identities. We also talk about femmes in the context of the course as folks who might have a variety of sexual or gender identities, but who present as feminine- and as a result, can also be impacted negatively by patriarchal cultures.

What to Expect

This course will give you

֎ An experience of hearth time with a new community, deepening into the wisdom and humor of the old songs. 

֎ A foundational experience of learning songs in traditional, unaccompanied singing styles.

֎ A fabulous repertoire of ballads and folk songs about women surviving, thriving and kicking ass to use in classrooms, song circles, social justice movements, and performances. 

֎ A knowledge of the many strategies women have used over hundreds of years to assert their rights, survive oppression and claim bodily autonomy- and an understanding of how singing has been a part of this work. 

֎ The confidence to create your own songs about badass women using traditional structures and tunes. 

֎ Exercises to help you engage your body as a singer and use song to relieve tension. 

“I loved everything about this course! The songs were so very intentionally chosen and I really enjoyed the different styles and tempos of each song. The lectures were incredible, its quite clear Saro knows her stuff!  Trumping all of that, Saro is fantastic teacher. The class was like a form of therapy-it was fascinating to start each class with a practice that focused on how singing affects the body and how, in turn, your body affects your singing.”

-Caroline Hummer

Who should take this course?

This course is for anyone seeking songs of ingenuity, anger and resilience that have kept women and femmes going in hard times. This course is for teachers, parents, musicians, historians, feminists, organizers + anyone who feels a need to connect with and pass on these vital histories. 

This course is for you if: 

֎ You’re looking for an infusion of some powerful new feminist songs into your singing repertoire. 

֎ You’re worried about ongoing attacks on the bodily autonomy and rights of many peoples- including women both cisgender and trans, nonbinary people, AFAB folks of any gender and more- and want to use songs to express anger, humor and hope in the face of these struggles. 

֎ You’re new to exploring ballads and folk songs, but you want a supportive community of singers alongside you as you learn. 

֎ As a parent or educator, you want to use song as a fun and creative way to pass on feminist stories to children, youth and young adults- or take this class with your kid!

֎ As an organizer, facilitator, or religious leader, you’ve been looking for songs to inspire and motivate your community towards feminist-minded social justice work. 

֎ You enjoy learning using sing-and-repeat methods of learning and are comfortable learning songs without the use of sheet music or chord charts. Watch a sample here.

֎ You know that ballads can be long- and you’re ok with that!

֎ You are affirming of trans, nonbinary and other gender expansive identities and are willing to use people’s pronouns. 

֎ You are aware that racism can show up in historic songs, and are willing to talk about ways to change this language, or consider laying aside songs that can be hurtful to people of color or marginalized communities. 

This course is not for you if:

֎ You’re uncomfortable learning music without sheet music or instrumentation. 

֎ You do not believe folk song lyrics should be changed ever- under any circumstances! 

"Saro's course reintroduced the power of singing with people again to my life. I have used songs Saro taught me for times of deep community healing and connection, in both informal and performance contexts. I will be growing from the one course I took with Saro for a long time to come. If you're reading this and you feel even slightly called to sign up for one of Saro's classes/workshops, totally do it!"

-Jeri Katherine Howell

Cost and Payment Plans

I am offering this class at a substantial discount (over 45% off!) because of the rising impact of sexism and body warfare in our culture. I believe that, more than ever, we need songs like these to explore our struggles and triumphs, to learn the tactics of those who’ve come before us, and to share our experiences in a supportive community. 

You can either do a one time payment, with sliding scale options, or a fixed-rate payment plan. If you feel resourced, you are encouraged to pay more for this course, which will also help to ensure scholarships for some attendees. 

֎ One Time Payment: $277 (+fees)

֎ One Time Payment: $350 (+fees)

֎ One Time Payment: $500 (original price of the course) (+fees)

Refund Policy: Refunds minus a $50 fee will be available until January 19th, after which point no refunds will be issued.

Subscription Option

Not sure you can commit to the class times? Want to learn at your own pace? Why not become a subscriber instead? Subscribers receive weekly drops of class materials during the class period from January through February, but do not have access to live classes. Course materials include 2-4 songs recordings + PDF lyrics per week, 5+ YouTube playlists, 5 audio/PDF lectures and bonus materials.

Refund policy: Refunds minus a $50 fee will be available until January 26th, after which point no refunds will be issued. By making this purchase, you agree to the refund policy.

Scholarships

A few scholarships are available for BIPOC students. Please email Saro at [email protected] to inquire about these. 

Have more questions? Check out our FAQ below.

Q-What kinds of songs will we be learning?

A- We will learn a mix of ballads and folk songs in this course, but with a heavy emphasis towards ballads. Ballads are songs that tell stories that usually follow a simple melody and rhyme scheme. This form of storytelling became very popular in the middle ages, and has stayed a part of song cultures up to the present day. The majority of the songs we learn in class will be ballads. *Here is a sample of one* These songs do require some patience compared to the folk songs we’ll be learning: They encourage us to slow down, listen deeply and take time to listen to the messages waiting for us. It’s a deeply rewarding process! (link to something in this description)

Q- How much time will this course take up on a weekly basis?

A- If you choose to 1) listen to or read the weekly lectures, song recordings and playlists and 2) attend the classes, your time commitment will consist of about 4-5 hours a week. If you choose to take the time to begin to memorize the songs and make them a part of your repertoire week-by-week (not required for the course), this will be a larger commitment. There will also be an optional exercise of writing your own poem or song using traditional styles towards the end of the course, the time of which will be dependent on your own process- you can bust out something inspired in half an hour, or spend several hours writing your piece- it’s up to you. 

Q- What if I can’t commit to all of the classes?

A- No problem- We all lead busy lives and it’s understandable not being able to make every class. We will be learning new material every week, so your participation won’t be dependent on building off of materials from the previous week. You will always have the song recordings, audio/PDF essays, and playlists for each week’s material to bolster your learning at any time. 

Q- What if I get overwhelmed or have trouble completing the course when the classes are happening?

A- All course materials,**just for online** including recordings of the live sessions, will be available to students forever. You can learn at your own pace and review material whenever you want. 

Q- Who do you mean when you say “women?”

A- When we talk about women’s experiences in this course, we’re talking about people perceived of, treated as, or identified as women both historically and today. In other words, people who have gendered themselves as women or been gendered by the broader culture as women. This includes trans women, nonbinary folks and other identities. We also talk about femmes in the context of the course as folks who might have a variety of sexual or gender identities, but who present as feminine (and as a result, can also be impacted negatively by patriarchal cultures).

Q- Is this course affirming of nonbinary, gender expansive and other trans identities?

A- Yes. This course is designed to be inclusive for nonbinary, gender expansive and trans attendees. During the course, we will explore how some historic folk songs can be interpreted as expressing a diversity of sexualities and gender identities. That said, it’s acknowledged that because of the limited language and perspectives of these songs, they only provide a glimpse of the broader historical experiences of varying gender and sexual identities in past eras. 

This course is also approached from a perspective that, while people in the past have understood their genders and sexualities to be outside accepted norms, we usually do not have the privilege of knowing how they perceived themselves or described their own identities. In this class, it’s encouraged that we hold an awareness that, while from a modern lens we may interpret people from past eras as trans, nonbinary, queer etc., we can affirm that these peoples may have understood their identities differently. 

Q- Can men take this course?

A- Absolutely! 

Q- Will there be sheet music or chord charts provided for the songs?

A- No, there will not. In this course, we are learning in the most basic, ancient style of song learning- sing and repeat, or as they call it in southern Appalachia “knee-to-knee.” If, in the future, sheet music or chords are made available for the songs, anyone who has ever taken this course will be given access to these materials. 

Q- Do I have to think of myself as a “good” singer to take this course?

A- No, you don’t have to consider yourself a “good” singer to take this course. It can be helpful for you to feel generally confident carrying a tune, but for our in-person class, you’ll have the support of the voices around you to help you learn these songs. 

“Having been a singer of traditional Appalachian ballads for over 50 years, it’s hard for this old warhorse to get chills when I hear someone sing. But, Saro Lynch-Thomason is the exception. Saro sings with an intensity and intonation that belies her age. There’s something ancient that lives inside Saro’s voice. She sings with heart and soul and people listen. I consider her the singer among singers of her generation.”

–Sheila Kay Adams, NEA National Heritage Fellow, 7th generation ballad singer