Schools iDrum Program
The iDrum programs main objective in schools is to build community, through African drumming, dance and the creation of drums and percussion instruments using traditional and recycled materials.
Performance
Let Rhythm Connect come to your school and kick off the iDrum program with a dynamic rhythm charged interactive African drum and dance performance, this will inspire students and generate enthusiasm.
Drums and Percussion Instrument Making
The first few days are filled with the creation by student of the schools very own African drums and percussion instruments. Between students we see an environment full of encouragement and collaboration, laughter and excitement as they embark on this creative cultural journey. From personal experience we know that when students create their own instruments they develop a great sense of pride in they work and on completion they feel a deep sense of personal satisfaction in their achievement, “great for self esteem”.
Drumming Workshops
Now the drums and percussion instruments are complete the rhythmic adventure begins, we either facilitate workshops in African Drumming or Samba, because the students have made their own drums they are engaged and excited at the prospect of learning how to play their new instruments, as the days unfold we start to see a dynamic school drum ensemble emerge.
African Dancing Workshops
Rhythm Connect African dance workshops are fun, entertaining, full of cultural energy and alive with the power of the drums, dances and songs from Africa.
Teacher Training
As we run the drumming workshops with the students we also train your teachers in the skills of conducting and facilitating African drumming and Samba. Through hands on experience teachers will gain the knowledge, confidence, and personal qualities required to conduct a successful and rewarding drumming program in their school.
Leadership Training – Drum Circle Facilitation
Suit: Youth leaders, Senior Students
Gain the tools, skills, experience, knowledge, confidence, and personal qualities required to conduct a successful and rewarding drum circle in your School !Give your Students the opportunity to learn how to facilitate rhythm songs/ games and activities for multiple groups, using drums, percussion, voice, and movement.
iDrum Curriculum
For schools involved with the iDrum program; we come in at the beginning of each new school term to help facilitate and introduce the exciting new rhythms for that term. Rhythm Connect provides a comprehensive training manual with traditional and contemporary African drumming and Samba rhythms, their notation and helpful teaching techniques. Songs and chants, the history and cultural significance of each rhythm plus maintenance and tuning instructions of the drums. This manual is designed to run with each new school term and also comes with an instructional DVDs.
Schools drumming and dance camp
Every year we have a drum and dance camp for schools involved in the iDrum program, these camps are are a fantastic experience for students and teacher alike. A great time to learn, connect with other schools, make new friends and an wonderful cross cultural experience. Our facilitators are master drummers, dancers and singers from Africa and Brazil and some are also griots. Griots are historians of African culture masters of African music and dance, there history is kept alive orally by story telling and song and past on from one generation to the next. This ancient west African tradition is
still alive today.
Testimonials:
Thanks so much Rhythm Connect, for an amazing set of professionally facilitated workshops, that have help kick start our South Grafton African Drum Ensemble (Dunbe’). I would also like to thank you for equipping me with the skills and confidence require to lead the Ensemble and in-school African drumming programs, it has been an rewarding experience for both myself and Students. South Grafton High is extremely happy that through this program we now own a set of beautiful hand crafted African drums which students will be benefitting from for many years to come.Tim Trainer-Teacher South Grafton High
