1) Advanced Djembe Fevah™ – West African Djembe*
*Course Prerequisite: This course is for Intermediate and Advanced students only.

Djembe has so many dynamic parts to playing like a pro! Excel in your Djembe playing with body postures (sitting and standing), rhythm placement, introductions, accompaniments, and “Soulos.” Fine-tune specific hand techniques, rolls, flams and ambidextrous playing. Practice drumming techniques for dance classes and develop endurance, focus, intensity, sensitivity, posturing, dynamics, speed and expressive passion. Explore the lineage and role of the Djembe within the context of our culture, the orchestra, the dance, and in relation to the Dunun as we play traditional rhythms from Guinea and contemporary “Walking Tree” rhythms. Revitalize and connect to the power of drumming as we break through fears of playing from our authentic selves within the safety and collective holding of our community. Bring a strap if you are able to wear your Djembe. We will also quickly tune drums that are out of tune as well.

2) All Level Dunun Orchestra
Dununs carry the heartbeat of West African rhythms. Their dynamic tones from Dununbah, Sangbah, and Kenkeni with corresponding bells, carry so much magic. Learn how to sing and dance with your Dunun. Learn ballet and village styles of playing, improve your technique while playing in a chorus of three dunun parts. Explore the lineage and role of the Dunun within the context of West African culture, the drum orchestra, the dance, and in relation to the Djembe as we play traditional rhythms from Guinea and contemporary “Walking Tree” rhythms. Bring a Dunun or a conga to play with sticks.

3) Gourd Song Shekere
All levels welcome. 10-15 naked gourd and shekeres available on a first come, first served basis.

At 24years old, when I received Shekere as a birthday gift, I began playing instinctually and never stopped! Since then, I have played Shekere in bands, ensembles, dance classes and has taught the making and playing of it. Over the years I designed a technique of playing and teaching Shekere that allows for easy integration of this very complex instrument, and have hand-crafted over 300 Walking Tree brand shekeres for musicians all over the world. Learn the basic rhythmic technique of this exquisite uplifting instrument, sing and play shekere-lingo, and practice top and bottom-hand techniques that are essential to mastering Shekere. The Shekere is a wonderful accompaniment instrument that is a great skill for budding musical enthusiasts to have in your repertoire, and for those who have already mastered other drums. Join us for this exciting gourd song feast!

Latin Percussion class 1

This class is open to all levels.
 
If you like or love Latin percussion and music, than this class is for you!
This class will focus on the percussion section of a Latin group and how the section works as team.
  
What can help (but not required) is to be familiar with the Tumbao for the Conga, paila or cascara for timbales and Martillo for bongo and clave 2/3 and 3/2 son clave.

The use of  claves, maracas, Bell and guiro  will be used and  the important  role that they  have in a Latin Percussion section. We can substitute other instruments too. 

I will go over each part of the Latin percussion instrument with emphasis on the role of the Conga drum, which is the rock of a Latin percussion section.

We will switch instruments, however if you prefer to stay on the instrument of your choice make sure you  provide your own instrument so there is plenty to  go around.
 
The focus is to understand the form of a tune and how the Latin percussion section works.
 
Instruments to bring:
Conga, all sizes (conga quinto tumbas)
Timbales, Guiro , Maracas ,Claves , woodblocks,
  Other percussion can be use if you do not have the above
Snare, drums , djembes etc anything you can strike is percussive;)
 
 
2) The Multiple Conga drum in Latin Percussion
 For the intermediate–advanced Player
 
Everyone is welcome to participate or observe this class. I will be moving to the level that is indicated and comfortable for all.

Latin Jazz, Salsa, Afro-Cuban and Brazilian
 
The use of the 2,3, 4 even 5 drums technique produces a beautiful rhythmic flow and     a melodic feature.
 
The class  will  focus on basic rudimental techniques on one drum, than applying it to the second ,Third and Forth drum to enable this melodic feature on multiple conga drumming.

This class will provide information on how you can use simple rudimental “sticking” (RLRL, RRLL, RLRR LRLL paradidles etc ) from the standard 26 rudiments for the snare drum and move them to multiple conga drums.
 
Preparation of Stick control and some rudiments would be helpful.
If you take Michelle’s G Stick Control course on Friday, it will  prepare you for this class.

One of the main concepts will be to utilize the technique with  melody, phrasing, the clave, and a two-bar phase. 
 
We will listen to some musical examples and listen to the variations that the multiple drumming has contributed to a song or piece of Music. This will help you open up to all the a possibilities of this technique so you can use these ideas in your playing!

What to bring and have available;
conga drums and djembe other hand drums.
3 conga drums per player is ideal or substitute djembe and other drums that can fill the void

Beginning Batá
This class is appropriate for two groups of women: those who have absolutely no experience with Afro-Cuban batá drumming and want to try it, or those who have a little experience on the drums and want to try another chair in the trio. We will cover the basics: where the drums come from and what they’re for (briefly), posture, correct hand technique, an introduction to each of the three drums (iyá, itótele, okónkolo) and how they work in the ensemble, strategies for listening, and some basic toques (rhythms) such as Lalubanche, Ogún, Iyankotá, or others.

All Levels Batá
This class is for any level of batá student (from beginner to advanced). We will first briefly review the basics of posture and technique for each of the three drums (iyá, itótele, okónkolo), and depending on students’ experience and interest, we will cover several toques (rhythms) such as Yakotá, Sokutanibo, Iyamase lobi Changó, or others.

Intermediate/Advanced Batá
This class will move more quickly than the other two classes, and assumes that students already have experience studying and playing Afro-Cuban batá. We will focus on how to create strong transitions from one musical or energetic state to another in batá drumming. Depending on students’ interest and experience, we will do one of two things: study an advanced toque (rhythm) such as Meta Meta or Alaro, or take a sequence of orisha songs and learn how to accompany them correctly with the batá.

JUICY GROOVES 101: Unleash the drummer within!

Whether you are new to the drum or ready for a rhythmic refresher, this fun, upbeat workshop will break it down and help you build it back up! DRUMMM founder Jeni Swerdlow will show you simple, effective ways to:

-Find and play on, off, and all around the beat.
-Use rhythm games and activities to get into and deepen the groove.
-Learn fundamental, universal rhythms that are found across many cultures and styles of music.
-Develop skills for listening and creating a musical “conversation.”
-Express your own authentic “voice” on the drum.

Open to all levels and styles of drumming. Please bring your favorite drum and a hand-held percussion instrument (shaker, bell, clave, tambourine, etc.) if you have. There will be extras available.

DOUMBEK & MIDDLE EASTERN RHYTHMS WORKSHOP
Explore the world of Middle Eastern rhythms on this powerful drum, called tabla in the MidEast.  You’ll learn to make this drum speak with low, high and pop sounds, and will learn to play and sequence a variety of popular rhythms used for belly dance and ensemble playing in a very fun workshop!  Bring your own drum.

FRAME DRUM YOGA
Explore the world of frame drumming, one of the most profound and longest lineages of rhythm for healing, connection to Earth, and transformation. Experience rhythm as yoga, pulse as heartbeat of Gaia on jingled and non-jingled frame drums (tars and tambourines).  We’ll explore trance rhythms, polyrhythms, and rhythms of the heart in ensemble playing.  Some experience on frame drums helpful for this workshop.  intermediate instruction given on both tars (non-jingled) and tambourines (jingled riqq, or other).  We’ll harmonize with voice and motion, bringing a full-body experience to deepen our indigenous rhythmic selves.  Come with any frame drum.  Some drums will also be available for use.

FRAME DRUM INTRO
Discover the world of frame drums, jingled and non-jingled, in this introductory workshop focused on demonstration and hands-on experience.  Learn the language of the jingled and non-jingled drums, specific rhythms, and begin your own personal journey with the world’s most ancient of skin percussion instruments with the longest lineage of women players.  Get turned on and in to your own inner framedrummer.  Bring any frame drum.  Some drums available for use.

Bring drums and small percussive instruments, including bells & shakers.

Bomba, Puerto Rico’s oldest community music and dance tradition developed as a result of the slave trade to the island. It served to sustain our ancestors and continues to sustain bomberos/as, bomba practitioners, today as our communities in Puerto Rico and the Diaspora contribute to keeping it a living cultural art form. In the tradition of Bomba the improvisational skills of the dancer, drummer and lead vocalist are all important and integral to the form.

The dancer makes the music with her or his moves, for specific accents and figures, piquetes, which the lead drummer has to execute on the drum. This occurs in the form of a friendly competition where both the dancer and drummer showcase their skills. The lead vocalist calls the song, which sets the rhythm and speed and is answered in a call and response style by all who are willing to join in on the coro, to which the lead vocalist response with improvised lyrics specific to that song.

Beginning Level:
Students will learn the Basic Dance Steps for the Rhythms of Sica, Yuba, and Cuembe in the style from Santurce, Puerto Rico. In percussion part of the class students will learn the basic rhythms on the drums, maraca, and cuas as well as the some traditional songs for each of the three main rhythms.

Intermediate Level I (dance and percussion):
Students will learn some piquetes or specific accents to begin the improvised conversation with the lead drummer.

The workshops will begin with learning dance, rhythm patterns on drums, cuas, and maraca as well as songs for Holandes (Santurce Style) and Seis Corrido (Loiza Style). In the first intermediate class we will focus on learning Holandes and Seis Corrido rhythms which are more challenging than the three rhythms we will be teaching in the Beginning level class.

Intermediate Level 2 (percussion with some Dance):
Students will learn more of the improvisational language in bomba in both the Dance (piquetes) and percussion aspects (breaks and responding to dancer piquetes). We’ll work more on improvising in the rhythms of Sica, Yuba, and Cuembe and pay specific attention to the variation of languages between the different rhythms and in response to the songs as well
Students are permitted to record our classes : AUDIO ONLY

Djembe Vibrations l
A beginner djembe class that’s open to all levels. This class will help improve your technique, timing, listening skills, and confidence as you sit with the drum.

Djembe Vibrations II
This is an all levels djembe class. Come and experience the power of the drum thru traditional West African rhythms. Feel and connect with the vibrations as you continue on your journey.

I. (Beg. level) Rio Style Samba — Learn the basic instruments of escolas de samba, and how they fit together. Some instruments will be provided, but feel free to bring bells, snare drums, tamborims, surdos and shakers.

II. (All levels) Stick Control –Learn the basics or some new tricks. We will spend time applying the techniques to the timbales, in particular–bring sticks and a practice pad, if you have one (some will be provided).

III. (All levels) Samba Reggae — From Salvador, Bahia (Brazil), this style combines hand drumming and stick drumming for infectious grooving. Bring djembes or congas, snare drums, surdos, repiniques and shakers or shekeres.

Writing As Ritual:
This special, Empowering Women Through Creative Writing, workshop will begin with a series of group exercises designed to help participants feel safe working and sharing their work in a group setting. We will then move into a series of “free writes” which are designed to tap into the divine pool of collective voices, through meditative and automatic writing techniques. This is a place to find and share our varied voices – through the writing of poetry, stories, lyrics, and/or performance pieces. The goal or the workshop is to assist experienced and first time writers come away with work that has been written in a safe and fun environment. Each session will focus on distinct exercises.

Please bring a journal, or paper and a pen, and wear comfortable clothes.

Tlazokamati! – Gracias, Thank You!

Inauguration of The Born To Drum Spirit Lodge for 2012 and Creating Sacred Space