WOMEN AS THE DRUMMERS...

You are forgiven for believing men that drum and women dance!  During ancient times, women were spiritual leaders who played the drum in rituals. They were powerful, wise and respected. By drumming together, women are able to connect, find a deep sense of belonging and encourage each person's inner gifts to shine, even when we do not believe we have anything to offer.



We aim to reach new participants, fostering women's talent, creativity and confidence. We encourage and support women who want to drum - regardless of their previous musical experience - and promote the drum as a tool for healing, transformation and empowerment. We also hope to develop our links with other organisations acround the world who focus on women as the drummers.

Drumming Weekends: Jan/Feb 2009
In 2007 we started offering weekends for women who were unable to commit to 8 week courses or who wanted to take their drumming further. We're delighted to offer more drumming weekends for Spring 2009:
- Beginners/Refresher (no/limited experience of djembe)
- Advanced (completed 8 week course and/or experience of djembe).
Our weekends provide a chance to come together and create our own space. Through drumming we can heal our lives and harness the natural energy that is always available and waiting for us to connect. Held at The Pankhurst Centre (the original home of the Suffragette Movement) activities are held within a women' circle. Each session includes warm up games, a chance to learn and play as a group (West African rhythm) and opportunities for improvised solo playing!  Guided meditation sessions will help to to bring a peaceful and healing close to each day's drumming. All drums are provided, but places are limited to 12 and available on a first come first served basis.

Participants of previous weekends have commented that the women's drumcircle was..."Exciting and empowering...lovely, caring, friendly and supportive. Peaceful, grounding, inspiring, challenging, exciting, supportive, great fun...fabulous! Motivational and welcoming. A very beautiful enlightening experience. Please do more of these weekends!"

Please call Joanna on 07762 098393 or email jo@drumroots.org.uk to book your place...

Women's Drum Circle, May 2009
"the drum as teacher, the circle as our space"
Celebrating 2009 as the fourth year of women's African drumming in Manchester! The 8 week course is held within a drumcircle, creating a safe space where, with the development of basic drum techniques, you can explore and express your creativity with confidence. We offer an experience that encourages each player to find their own rhythm, sense of worth and belonging in a world where increasingly we are isolated from each other. All drums are provided and no experience is needed - you will be guided and supported in finding your own connection to the drum and the circle. 

Participants of previous courses have commented...
"Drumroots women's drumcircle was a supportive space to learn drum techniques...a safe space to let creativity flow...an excellent course - well paced and well planned, delivered professionally and the facilitators were friendly, approachable, skillful and thoughtful..."

"You created a magic space and got the drumming back into the women's hands! Relaxing, inspiring, great fun...enjoyable, uplifting and fulfilling...moving, beautiful, heart thumping...thanks so much for a very special experience.  Amazing, enlightening and transforming."

The drum circle is co-facilitated by Joanna Huddart (Drum Roots Managing Director and Member of Tanante) and Tess Clarke (Member of Drumroots and Tanante). We aim to bring a sense of freedom to the circle, grounded by respect for the discipline of West African drumming, the divine feminine and the sacred.  If you have any concerns about drumming, playing in a group or developing your creativity within a women's circle please call Joanna on 07762 098393 to decide if the course may benefit you.  

Please call Joanna on 07762 098393 or email jo@drumroots.org.uk to book your place....

   
Support for Women's Groups
Why not bring the experience of the drum to your women's group? Joanna and Tess will tailor a workshop to meet the musical, emotional and spiritual needs of the group. Throughout the session players will start to relax and focus less on what their hands are doing and more on their connection to the drum, themselves and each other as a circle. We weave simple, easy to follow traditional West African drumming techniques with deeper spiritual messages as women play, allowing them to feel confident in their drumming, whilst learning to listen to what the drum has to teach them. If you're interested in how your group can benefit from the powerof the drum, please call Joanna on 07762 098393 or email jo@drumroots.org.uk

Extract from "Body & Soul" Magazine: Jan/Feb 2007
"Rhythm," as Gabriel Roth says, "is the mother tongue" and the universal language that cuts through all racial, cultural and gender differences. The drum was an ancient tool originally used by women in Africa, Egypt, Brazil,Cuba and Native American cultures for spiritual practice and ceremony. Recognised as one of the oldest healing rituals on earth, drummingunites mind, body and spirit through the resonance of sound.  The vibration of rhythm creates a flow of energy that moves the heart and facilitates profound healing.  At celebrations and initiations, rhythm helped forge a sense of community, peace and wellbeing.  These gifts are still ours to claim.

Coming together as women who drum, we realised just how limited the opportunities were for women to discover, explore and connect with the drum.  Drumming is today very much a male dominated domain, even though, for example, in West Africa up to eighty percent of all traditional rhythms were originally created and used by women, who honoured the drum as a life affirming guardian, a powerful and sacred teacher. 

To answer the call, we decided to initiate an eight week drumming course in May 2006 just for women.  No experience was required to join the drum circle, in fact most women had never held a drum before.  We were amazed at the response.  In providing a chance to learn the traditional West African techniques of hand drumming in a safe space, participantsdeveloped confidence in creativity, skill in playing individually and as a group.  Inclusive and inspiring, the drum circle binds us together in a celebratory act, finding our own rhythms as we connect as a community. Aided by relaxation and meditation techniques at the start and end of each session, the drum circle deeply roots us to each other and the earth.  We experience emotional release which creates room for the new and enables us to embrace healing.  

If you are reading this and wondering if drumming, dare to try.  There is acceptance for who you are within the drum circle.  This goes some way to explaining the purpose of our drum circles, but the mystery can only be experienced by becoming part of the circle and surrendering to the journey that the drum is waiting to take you on.  

We look forward to welcoming you.