MUSIC

Hag

New Contexts for Traditional Forms

Music is not universal. Every sound, every rhythm arises from a specific cultural context. My work puts traditional forms — folkloric, classical, or popular — in contemporary contexts to bridge cultures and create new connections.

❋ Caribbean and Latin American Rhythms

Over more than 30 years, in the clubs, studios, and festivals of Miami, I’ve studied and performed Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, Colombian, Haitian, Jamaican, and Trinidadian popular and folkloric dance, percussion, and song with Elena Garcia, Neri Torres, Manno Mersier, Catelus “Tonton” Laguerre, Mike Kernanhan, Brian Potts, and Claudio da Silva. From these relationships emerged Carnival Arts (2006-2020), an arts education program and performance collective dedicated to contemporary interpretations of dance, drum, song, and masquerade traditions of carnivals and festival processions from the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, and Africa that culminated in the massive urban carnival performance, Siren Song.

❋  Classical Art Song & Arias

Since 2010, I’ve studied classical voice with teachers including Giselle Rios, Marinel Cruz, Gerard Ortega, and coaches Daniel Daroca, Jared Peroune, and most of all my beloved husband, Fernando Landeros. My work seeks contemporary settings for immersive, intimate, and experimental classical performance. Case in point, the visual album Sweet Birds Sang, a love-letter to my family, pets, and home recorded during the pandemic lockdown. I also like to get gussied up in a ballgown for a recital.

❋ Gaelic Traditional Song

Except for a few verses of barely remembered songs, I ignored my ancestral heritage until my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and shared a wish to return to her mother’s birthplace in Scotland. I planned the trip, charting the geography of our genealogy. With the trip postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I instead studied Scottish traditional music over Zoom with Iona Fyfe and Irish song with Fionnuala Maxwell. Out of these lessons developed the visual album, Betty & Belle, dedicated to my maternal and paternal grandmothers, and my traditional-ish Gaelic band, Hag.

❋ Singer-songwriter/Cabaret/Hip-hop/Pop

Like every other human raised on American standards and American pop, my go-to emotional expression is a good old love song — or heart ache song — in chorus-verse form. I’ve written a lot of them over the years, adding up most significantly to the confessional, one-woman show, Kiss Me Deadly. I have also conveyed lessons for my college students in original songs, like the rap “Slow Down.The pop and show tunes that meant the most to my mom made up the repertoire of our tribute band for her, The Frances Jeans. 

Reconnect with your body and mind as you escape the noise of everyday life.
Day One

Arrive & Meet

As everyone arrives, we take time to settle in, get comfortable, and begin connecting with those around us. The journey starts here.

Check-In

9:00 – 9:30am

Group Activity

11:00am

Lunch Break

12:30pm

Creative Workshop

2:00pm

Dinner

6:30pm

Day Two

Set Intentions & Reflect

Together, we pause to consider our goals, hopes, and direction. This is about aligning with ourselves and with the journey ahead. This is a chance to reconnect with what brought you here—your questions, your hopes, your turning points—and consider how they’ve shifted or deepened.

Check-In

9:00 – 9:30am

Group Activity

11:00am

Lunch Break

12:30pm

Creative Workshop

2:00pm

Dinner

6:30pm

Day Three

Look Forward & Wrap Up

We explore the possibilities beyond this moment, making space for growth, action, and forward momentum. As we end our time together, we honor the experience, the growth, and the connections made along the way.

Check-In

9:00 – 9:30am

Group Activity

11:00am

Lunch Break

12:30pm

Creative Workshop

2:00pm

Dinner

6:30pm

  • "What I love most is the flexibility. I can go at my own pace, revisit lessons, and keep learning whenever it works for me."

    Former Customer

  • "Even as a total beginner, I never felt lost. The step-by-step structure and encouragement along the way made all the difference."

    Former Customer

  • "This has been such a worthwhile investment in myself."

    Former Customer

How It Works

  • Browse our upcoming events to find the one that feels right for you. We host events year-round in all different locations and climates.

  • Sign up and pay all required fees to reserve your spot. If plans change, you can cancel up to 14 days before the retreat start to receive a 50% refund.

  • After booking, we'll send you a Welcome Packet with everything you need to know—detailed schedules, packing list recommendations, add-ons to consider, and more.

  • We'd recommend booking your transportation to and from the event as soon as possible, to ensure you can arrive without any complications or delays.

  • Now all that's left to do is pack your bags and get excited for your new adventure.

Book Your Stay

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