Learn traditional songs, share voice, honour the women who shape your story
Why We're Gathering
When women sing together,
something ancient remembers.
When women gather, we weave ourselves back into belonging — the song is simply how we find one another.
We’re reviving a living tradition of song and folklore to grieve, give thanks, and reconnect.
This is voice as belonging — not performance.
The Invitation
Together, we’ll explore the themes of grief and gratitude through the living tradition of song and folklore — a way of remembering, feeling, and honouring what connects us across time.
For generations, women have gathered to sing as a form of ritual — to grieve, to celebrate, to mark transitions, and to strengthen the bonds that hold community together.
This gathering is an opportunity to learn from a master teacher who has spent decades carrying songs that have been passed voice to voice, from one generation to the next, and to gather with other women in that lineage of sound.
This is an invitation to breathe life into those powerful traditions, to remember what they awaken in us, and to experience what it feels like to belong through voice and resonance.
Windows into Aphrodite Health Gatherings
Glimpses from circles, song, and community
"The work of the mature human being is to carry grief in one hand and gratitude in the other, and to be stretched large by them.”
FRANCIS WELLER
You'll have the chance to:
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Learn three traditional songs from Bulgaria, Quebec, and Georgia
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Explore the emotional and cultural depth of these lineages through guided teaching and meaning
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Learn from an experienced song teacher with decades of wisdom and heart
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Experience the resonance of harmony and shared voice as a form of embodied ritual
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Honour the women who shape your story - past, present, and future
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Gather in community with other women, sharing stories, presence, and voice
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Enjoy organic fruit, snacks, and tea throughout the afternoon
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Stay for an optional tea and connection hour (4–5 PM) after the workshop
*Spaces limited
Facilitators & Support
Melissa Vrouvides
Host & Founder of Aphrodite Health
Melissa Vrouvides is a community organizer and women’s group facilitator whose work centres on embodiment, connection, and collective healing. Over the past several years, she has gathered women through circles, workshops, and retreats that invite presence, reflection, and reconnection.
Her training is rooted in somatic and nervous system education within the field of psychedelic-assisted therapies. Melissa’s approach weaves together community-centred healing, creative expression, and depth-oriented inquiry into the psyche - exploring how the mind, body, and spirit intersect in women’s lived experience.
To learn more about Melissa’s background and trainings, visit the Psychedelic Support page.
Josée Blanchet
Lead Facilitator
Josée Blanchet has spent decades exploring the human voice across cultures, languages, and lineages. A linguist and former professor of phonetics and intercultural exchange at UQAM, she brings both technical precision and deep reverence for the roots of song.
For thirty years, she has sung with Dragana, a women’s vocal ensemble dedicated to Balkan singing folklore, and directs Ensemble Supra, which focuses on the singing traditions of the republic of Georgia and other traditional folklores of the region.
Josiane Philion
Community Support & Nourishment
A horticulturist by profession, Josiane holds a profound connection to the natural world, a true woman of the woods with a reverence for plants, growth, and the quiet intelligence of the earth.
Her exquisite platters & grazing boards have become a quiet ritual of their own, prepared with intention and love, and an artistry that transforms nourishment into a visual and sensory offering. During this gathering, Josiane will be supporting us with food preparation and gentle presence, helping to hold the space in her uniquely nurturing way.
Event Details
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Date: Sunday, November 16
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Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM workshop | 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM optional tea & connection hour
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Location: A gorgeous, homey venue in Old Montreal. Walking distance to metro. Address to be shared upon registration.
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Language: English & French
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Who it’s for: Women 18+ / no formal singing experience required
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Capacity: Limited to 15 women.
Please note: This workshop will include themes of grief. Grief work can be stirring and may bring emotion to the surface. Participants are encouraged to join if they feel able to be with these themes within a supportive group setting.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Melissa via info@aphroditehealth.co
The venue
Ticket Price
Sliding scale: $75 – $120
Suggested amount: $90-$100
Pay-It-Forward Tier: $130
A sliding-scale structure means you decide what you can afford within the suggested range. It’s based on trust and reciprocity, and is a way to make this work accessible while honouring the time, care, and resources that go into creating it.
If finances pose a limitation right now, you’re welcome to choose the lower end of the scale.
If you have more ease, choosing the higher end or Pay-It-Forward tier directly supports the sustainability of Aphrodite Health, allowing future gatherings to happen, compensating facilitators fairly for the depth of energy they offer, and ensuring organic food, quality venues, and thoughtful preparation remain part of every experience.