Dogs are not allowed at Walker Creek Ranch (loads of wildlife) but your certified service dog is very welcome. Notify us in advance if you wish to bring your service dog.

Registration and ticket purchase for the full week-end are available here.

Registration and ticket purchase for single or multiple days and overnight (but not the full week-end) are available here. Very often someone comes for a single day and decides to stay overnight or to add a day. If you purchase a day pass and wish to attend additional days or overnight, you can purchase additional tickets on site with cash or check.

Marketplace Jam ~ Photo by Vaschelle André

Sena Kugbega ~ Photo by Vaschelle André

Photos by Vaschell Andrè and Maria Verdan

Come back soon: More photos to come!

Afia with Shekere

In 2007 and 2008, Afia toured with the internationally acclaimed Les Amazones Women Master Drummers of Guinea as one of their lead soloists. This past January, Afia chaperoned thirty three people on her second Drum and Dance Cultural Immersion Tour to Guinea. There she received initiations for playing Djembe and Dunun for numerous ceremonies, dances, and social celebrations. Afia offers intensive study and consultation for individuals, semi-privates (2-4), and small to large groups at all levels. She also brings her work to schools, non-profits, colleges, universities, and corporations internationally.

To order a week-end ticket, select the number of tickets you want to purchase and select the “Buy Tickets” Button. You can display a description of a ticket by selecting the ‘+’ next to the ticket name.

After you select “Buy Tickets”, a registration form will be displayed. Once all the information is entered, select ‘Continue’ to display payment options.

Payment Options: To pay with your credit card, select the PayPal payment option. To pay by check, select the “other” option. Your check should be sent to Born to Drum, P.O. Box 3715, Oakland, CA 94609.

Payment for tickets ordered only must be received by June 20. Tickets will also be available onsite at camp.

A confirmation page is displayed when your payment is complete.

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!

BEGINNING CONGA
Come and learn how to play this beautiful and charismatic instrument.  We will take it from the very beginning: how to hold the drum, and how to make the basic sounds. 

INTERMEDIATE AFRO-CUBAN
Come drum and sing in an ensemble setting. We will learn several rhythms and songs from Cuba.  Instruments will include: congas, claves, bells, Chekere, sticks, shakers and voices.

Carolyn Brandy

Carolyn is an expert in the folkloric drumming styles found throughout the island of Cuba. She has been a practitioner of the Yoruba-based Cuban religion, Regla de Ocha, also known as Santeria, since 1977. She was initiated as a priest of the religion in Havana, Cuba by Amelia Pedroso in 2000.

Carolyn has led five successful cultural tours to the Island of Cuba to study Folkloric music. She has organized workshops in Havana, Matanzas, Cienfuegos, Camaguey, Santiago De Cuba, and Guantanamo, where the groups studied with masters of Afro-Cuban drumming and dance.

Carolyn has recently produced an instructional DVD series called: Step by Step Conga Instruction. More information about her DVD’s, and projects, can be found at: http://www.carolynbrandy.com

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.

Elizabeth Sayre with Bata

In Afro-Cuban music, she has studied with John Amira, Orlando Fiol, Amelia Pedroso, Lázaro Pedroso Michael Spiro, and Michel Aldama in Philadelphia, New York, San Francisco, and Havana, Cuba.

Since 2000 she has accompanied Afro-Cuban dance classes in New York City (batá, congas). Elizabeth is percussion captain for Obini Ashe and founder/musical director of Okan Iloro, two all women’s Afro-Cuban folkloric groups based in New York. In the mid-1990s she was invited to join Samba Nosso, the project which eventually became Philadelphia’s dance band sensation, Samba Nosso.

See Elizabeth’s Web site for more information about her work.

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.

Jeni Swerdlow at Drummm Circle at SF Carnaval

San Francisco Bay Area percussionist and registered art therapist Jeni Swerdlow, MA-ATR is a dynamic and engaging facilitator, trainer, presenter, and performer. Founding DRUMMM Rhythmic Events in 2000, her interactive, “hands-on” group drumming programs have engaged many thousands of participants at a wide variety of events in the U.S. and abroad. Swerdlow is a REMO endorsed drum circle facilitator, trained HealthRHYTHMS facilitator, and lifelong student of West African drumming and world percussion. Swerdlow is best known for her innovative strategies and playful attitude that foster teambuilding, support wellness, enhance celebrations, and strengthen community for event participants of all ages and backgrounds. More info is at www.DRUMMM.com

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.

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