Drum circles, Dolphin Discovery Centre, Bunbury Oct. 09
''Thank you for a great, fun, drum circle night. When we got back to my house for dinner we gave marks out of 10 for the session and nearly everyone gave it 9/10. Everyone also commented on what a great teacher Martin was. He had a difficult group to work with….magistrate, lawyers, teachers etc so it was a fabulous compliment. As we were drumming everyone’s face looked very serious but I later found out that it was the effort of concentrating and they really were having fun!!!!''
Bev Nicoll
Although community events sometimes require workshop style interaction, (see home page) we usually prefer to offer the drum circle.
Drum Circles build community
In the Drum Circle, there is no audience. Everyone is part of the ‘performance’ and no one feels “am I good enough?”.
The learning of culturally-specific rhythms is an invaluable tool for the drum enthusiast but the Community Drum Circle is not a drum class. It is the use of a rhythm-based event as a tool for unity. A community drum circle is a fun, family friendly event, where people empower each other in the act of celebrating community and life through rhythm and music. People of all levels of musical expertise come together and share their rhythmical spirit with what ever drums and percussion they bring to the event. They don't have to be a drummer to participate. Everyone has something to offer the circle, and everyone is welcome.
The community drum circle is not a professional ensemble or a workshop where students sit in theatre-style seats facing a stage and watch a high-profile player demonstrate and teach one tradition of drumming on one specific instrument, but rather a group of strangers now friends having a rhythm party. It is not a culturally specific (i.e. African or Cuban) drum class but a playshop of 'in the moment' music making.
Rhythm Fix often support our local community by holding drum circles at town squares, parks, festivals, day care centres, community centres, retreats and camps, churches etc.
We hold 4 big community drum circles per year 31st Dec (NYE) 26th March (earth hour), June 20th (Winter solstice), 31st October (Halloween), open to all ages and levels of experience. Check the calender page for times and places.
"I thought you guys did an exellent job and that the drumming circle was amazing, thanks again"
Ali McLean - Southbound Festival, Sunset Events
"Thank you both for organising and facilitating a fantastic drum circle. The energy and enthusiasm emanating from the rotunda was infectious and invigorating. It was great to see so many young people joining in. What a fabulous way to bring in the new year and look forward to this years already. Peace and harmony"
Ros Scott. Drum Enthusiast
Our Drumming Circles can be taylored to benefit any group of people with or without special needs.
Past examples are;
new mothers and their babies
kids on summer camp
school holiday activities
disadvantaged and at risk youth
fathers and sons
religous groups
people with disabilities
the elderly
scout groups
tiny tots festivals
“Rhythm Fix’s involvement within the Earthdance Peace Festival community was dynamic and efficient. The children loved the drum making workshops and the 1hour drumming circle was inspiring and professionally conducted. Rhythm Fix is a welcome musical element to projects that I may run in the future.”
Nadia Rasheed, Community Arts Coordinator, Earthdance Festival
For kids and their fathers, Meerlinga Community Centre Willagee 2008.
Amazing things can happen within the drum circle from cathartic explosions of joy to inward epiphanies of love and togetherness.
Autistic children who usually dont contact with others have been known to get up and dance in the middle of the circle. It is sometimes the only experience that a person gets of their community coming together in celebration so closely, musically and with spirit other than church or sport.
The drum circle is so immediatly recognisable as fun and unifying that no words need be spoken. 'Failure is an option' because there can be no mistakes!
To make beautiful music together, all we have to do is bring to the circle whatever rhythmical expertise we have to offer, along with the excitement of sharing it with other people. The quality of the music produced in an event like this is not based on the rhythmical expertise of the players, but on the quality of their relationship with the other people in the circle. The result is those magical musical moments where one powerful voice is created out of the many. In those moments, the players stop worrying about keeping time because time, as they know it, has stopped. In it's place is a living breathing entity, expressing timeless joy, passion and release through the power of rhythm.
That is the beauty of a community drum circle.
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"Hi Stacey and Martin
just to say a HUGE thank you to you both for the last 2 days at our play sessions. Each and every child, carer and elderly guest of ours thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the Rhythm Fix interactive music session. It was fantastic to see the faces of the young and old laughing and enjoying the music and of course our very talented little dance performers!! Your enthusiasm and love for African music and dance certainly rubbed off on all of us and we had a great morning.
These are some comments made about the mornings from our carers:
"Great!!", "Fantastic!", "Fantastic many thanks", "Thanks", "Thanks for a great day!!", "Great day!"
Thanks again from all of us and it would be great to see you again sometime."
Donna Harford
Childrens Services Worker
Wanslea Family Services Peel
