learn more
groundswelljoy.org
Mary Kay McDermott and Brenna Cussen-Anglada believe there’s a simple outlet for channeling the heaviness of the world. And it could be a simple as song and dance.
“When you think about what reconnecting to our playful nature through storytelling, song and dance can do for our spirits, it’s something we all have the capability to engage in,” Cussen-Anglada said. “In many ways, our society is just catching up to what ancient societies have practiced and known all along.”
The two, who reside on a community farm outside of Dubuque, are at the forefront of Groundswell Joy Collective, a new local organization under the fiscal sponsorship of the Dubuque County Fine Arts Society that seeks to “reawaken a sense of belonging, wonder, and connection to the earth and to community through the participatory experiences of storytelling, song, dance and silence,” according to its website.
Groundswell Joy Collective recently hosted its inaugural community event, “Brigid’s Flame: A Tale of Spring,” at Steeple Square in Dubuque.
The celebration — delivered in the form of a play — offered a fusion of singing, dancing, storytelling, silence and even puppetry to mark the eve of St. Brigid. In Irish mythical folklore, St. Brigid represents the goddess of the land, and the time of year when seeds begin to stir, light begins to grow and spring is on its way.
The effort draws its inspiration from the writings of the late Angeles Arrien, an American cross-cultural anthropologist who coined the four practices of storytelling, song, dance and silence as “universal healing salves.” It also is fueled by similar efforts such as the Revels, a national arts organization based in Cambridge, Mass., that brings all ages together through musical and theatrical celebrations of the world’s cultural and seasonal traditions, engaging participation of the audience and volunteers through performances.
“It’s an interactive experience,” McDermott said. “But it’s also one where anyone attending can sit and observe. They can participate as much or as little as they like and feel comfortable.”
The script for the production was developed by Allyson Winter, of Platteville, Wis., who drew on feminine wisdom figures found within the Irish tradition, including Brigid, a saint and symbol of generosity and abundance; and the Cailleach, a goddess older than time who shapes the land; as well as the mythical creature of the Selkie, seals who become human by shedding their skin.
Additionally, the performances featured the music and song leadership of Lyndsey Scott, a recognized leader in the national community singing movement, who also served as the 2024-2025 University of Iowa Grant Wood Fellow and artist-in-residence.
While Groundswell Joy Collective might be a newcomer to the area’s diverse arts and cultural offerings, the idea that sparked it is 12 years in the making.
“We began as a group of women who enjoyed getting together with one another for the sake of singing. We called ourselves the Safe Passage Singers,” McDermott said. “As volunteers, our goal was to provide comfort, healing, courage and lifted spirits through song for individuals on the threshold of a new transition — having babies, retiring, moving, coming to the end of their life.”
The group collaborated with Hospice of Dubuque for a time.
“It was something grassroots that grew by word-of-mouth,” Cussen-Anglada said. “But many found this form of non-competitive singing to be a healing experience that built community.”
In 2016 — recognizing that folk traditions such as live music, song and community dance have long cultivated joy and human connection in rural communities — McDermott began organizing folk dances as well.
Collaborating with the Wild Church Network — which uses the Celtic Wheel of the Year as framework for a more nature-based worship, emphasizing the connection to land, creatures and seasonal cycles — Groundswell Joy Collective has emerged as the culmination of the Safe Passage Singers and the philosophies behind Wild Church.
Funded by an $11,500 matching grant through the National Endowment for the Arts and the Iowa Arts Council in its first year, Groundswell Joy Collective plans to present “Brigid’s Flame” annually, with additional events on the horizon.
Included will be a Church of the Oak Lenten Series, the first taking place from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, and continuing from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays, March 7, at Mines of Spain State Recreation Area’s kayak launch; March 14, at Dubuque’s Bee Branch; March 21, at Swiss Valley’s Green Ash Pavilion in Peosta, Iowa; and March 28, at Hardscrabble Prairie in Hazel Green, Wis.
A Community Folk Dance also is planned from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, at 7 Hills Event Center in Dubuque, as well as a 12th Anniversary Song Circle with Liz Rog from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, March 22, at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Dubuque.
And while the group once was exclusive to women, it now welcomes all voices, with no singing experience required.
“We’re living in a time where we are more connected than ever, but also less connected than ever,” McDermott said. “Our hope through this effort is to provide an opportunity for people to rediscover their human connections to one another and to the earth through song, dance, story and silence. We see ‘Brigid’s Flame’ as a perfect way to do that.”
Megan Gloss writes for the Telegraph Herald.
