West African Dance and Drum

DANCE CLASSES

At the moment we are looking for a space for our dance classes ( church or studio)

An elementary school in Reynoldsburg 2020
Ashland community dance class, Oregon 2017

DJEMBE DRUM LESSONS

Group lessons held on Thursday 6pm to 7:30pm

Location

1777 E Broad St, Columbus, OH 43203, just a few steps east of the Adventure Center.  After you pull into the park from the East Broad Street entrance, take the first right, and follow the little drive around to the parking lot in front of the Adventure Center (big quonset hut building).  After you park, take a short walk on the path around to the left of the Adventure Center to the brick-lined grove of trees

$15/hr mixed levels (Non experienced, beginner)

Private lessons for 1 or 2 same level

Price varies depending on the location.
$45 /hr at my location

$ 55 /hr at your location or somewhere else on half hour driving from my location

My private lessons are one hour (first one is usually 70 mn). They are customized to your level and what you want to do with djembe! Things that may include would be:

Getting three clearer sound ( Slap, Tone, Bass )

  • dununs – alternate bell parts
  • improvisation
  • singing traditional songs of the rhythms
  • traditional djembe rhythms
  • playing in alternative settings (poetry, with guitars and and other non-drum instruments)
  • effectively drumming for Yoga

If you are more interested in learning specially West African Rhythms from my homeland –

What you’ll learn
The basics of how to play the djembe, through to a full polyrhythmic African rhythm

The West African rhythms:

  • Kuku – traditional fishing rhythm
  • Kassa – traditional farming rhythm
  • Djaa – Youth rhythm
  • Sofa – Warrior rhythm before colonisation in Africa
  • Soli – Happy mother dance for initiations.
  • Tiriba – Initiation rhythm etc…
  • History and cultural context of Djembe and the rhythm we are learning
  • Some basic solo ideas.
Workshop at Capital University, Columbus OHIO September 2022.
Here I teach the culture of Mending Empire to students in California 2015.

Teaching at an elementary school in Reynoldsburg 2020

His name is Kuwame the name of the president of Ghana. He is super hungry of drum and attends often the drum circle of Joyce. I first met him there. November 18th he came to my concert with his mother. At the end of the concert he came to me with his mother to thank me and tell me his passion for drum. Also asked me if I know the name Kuwame I said yes.

He he asked me about the drum. I told him shortly about it because we were busy for many things. I am very proud of him. He is wide opened minded, large energies, I really appreciate him. I hope I will able to continue teaching him.

Thursday group classes. We are really progressing with the rhythms I teach. Thanks for being great students.
Drum class in Gahanna, Ohio September 2022