AFRICAN DRUMMING AND DANCE

IN SCHOOLS

Our vision:

• Generate interest in percussion music as a music form in its own right
• Foster recognition of drums as musical instruments
• Remind the children that music and dance are the result of a cultural context
• Enhance their understanding of how music evolves through migration
• Encourage active participation in music and dance

workshop
for staff

drums

Songbong
performances

drum making
workshop

Examples of
schools'projects

school drums
repairs

African dance
workshop

drumming
workshops

• Artisan-in-residence

• Direct observation of an artisanal process

• Customised decoration of the drum (logo of the school)

• Sturdy performance instrument

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• Active involvement of relatively large numbers of children using authentic instruments

• Music parts

• School follow-up adaptable to existing resources

• Direct experience of percussion ensemble music making

African drumming
Brazilian drumming

Powerful - unforgettable

African drumming and Brazilian Samba drumming workshops provide a way of getting people of all abilities into ensemble music making. There are easy rhythms and more challenging rhythms but everyone plays a vital musical role.

Both are expression of popular culture where rhythm, dance and song culminate in social celebrations such as the annual Carnival parades.

The Samba feel swings and makes people want to dance.

African drumming is a powerful and unforgettable experience.

Instruments provided.

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• Shared experience promoting staff cooperation

• Music parts

• Videos welcome

• Useful preparation previous to a Songbong visit

Teachers workshops

We propose one day or half-day workshops in West African drumming, Samba drumming or African inspired dance.

These are valuable in-school projects or towards an end-of- year production. The workshops are tailored to the needs of the staff of primary schools.

This would be an ideal learning environment for your first experience with percussion music or African dance.

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An example of project for primary schools

Port Chalmers primary school
Artists in residence programme

As part of the annual art residency organised by Mihiwaka Art Circus, David and Kate spent a week a Port Chalmers primary school, preparing for the Kite Festival Parade with the entire school.

Like most children, Port Chalmers primary school pupils are fascinated by drums. But they were lucky enough to encounter the hurdles of drum-making under the guidance of David. They assembled 25 African style double-headed drums. The drums are fully playable instruments with real goat hides. Their size varied from 8" to 12". Each drum took the skills of several pupils to be constructed. The macrame tensionning and positioning the goat skins was, for most, the trickiest part of the construction. They made harnesses and sticks for each instrument. The drums made during the project are robust and will be used by the school as a musical resource for many years to come. Lots of small shakers were made and decorated by the juniors.

The children learned a simplified version of the bass groove of a Mandingo piece called Soli. We progressively established the cross rhythms by singing and clapping. Later on, when the drums were ready to play, the children transposed the clapping to the drums.

Each pupil made and decorated their own costume for the parade. The juniors made stamps of African designs and printed their tunic in the style of Adinkra textiles from Ghana. The seniors painted out the background of their chosen African patterns highlightting the unpainted designs in the style of the Bamana mud cloth of Mali. A parade of more than a hundred children led a sizeable crowd on the route to the Kite Festival site.

"What a fabulous week ! Thanks for all your enthousiasm, ideas and knowledge. The children (and us) have been very privileged to be a part of this experience." Jennie (teacher)

"A big thank you from Room 4. We learned so much, we achieved so much and were thrilled with the outcome. Your skill and talent, patience and guidance were there for us all the way ! Kia Ora. Mary (teacher)

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An example of project for secondary schools

John Mc Glashan College
Arts Week

It was a special year for the 4th formers at John Mc Glashan college. They were part of Arts Week in October. The week included mask making, dance workshops, film viewing & lecture "Billy Elliot", weaving workshop, West African drumming, poetry reading with Hone Tuwhare, musical recitals, Art Gallery exhibitions, etc.

David and Kate Grace ran sessions every day with each of the three classes.

The pupils had the chance to try the instruments used by the samba percussion ensembles (batterias) of the Rio carnival in Brazil. This includes large bass drums, two tone bells, tamborims (small frame drums). All of which are designed to be carried in parades. It was the first experience in a percussion ensemble for most of the boys. They were eventually ready to try their hand at a parade in the school grounds.

Early in the week, three boys from the school who had drumming experience worked on two drum pieces in order to provide music in dance workshops. Well aware of the inhibitions concerning dance, Kate chose to present a men's dance. At the end of the week, the boys also performed breakdance moves and understood the close relationship between African dance and breakdance.

Drumming and dance provide a really good means to work with a significant number of pupils. The age group allows good results in a relatively short time. The relatively few preconceptions about African dance can bypass potential inhibitions. This would be rendered more difficult with well established dance styles. The follow-up of such a project could easily lead to performances at events in the school or commnity, or even to the formation of a permanent ensemble.

"It was very worthwhile for the boys, we had lots of enthousiastic feedback. The boys built up an understanding of percussion music day by day."

"It was a really good way into dance." Philippa Wilson (co-ordinator of Arts Week)

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