Celebrating the Season in Rhythm

Written by Greg Whitt Thursday, 08 December 2011 00:00

Drum for Change team at the 2011 NC WIC Annual Conference.

Drum for Change has had a fantastic Fall with events ranging the gamut:  school programs, corporate team-building, community festivals, non-profit fundraisers, performances, and wellness retreats.  Two six-week series of Conga Classes based on my grant-funded trip to Cuba this summer were hugely fun and educational on both music and culture.  TEDx Charlotte with drumSTRONG was awesome!  The new t-shirts and a new logo on the Beatboxx are getting great reviews.  More great stuff is on the horizon!

I've got lots of inspiration for new and expanding projects this season.  My passion has grown for wellness, technology, and ritual that all help to foster a sense of community.  I'm gradually putting together my own concepts for elemental drumming that incorporate medicine wheel traditions from a variety of cultures and that will serve to foster connection, manifestation, and wellness.  My gizmos and skills with live-looping are growing by leaps and bounds!  I'm eager to put them in action with movement-based collaborations.  I've added a cedar flute to my kit that is a simply magical way of connecting the inner self with the outer world through breath, melody, and tradition.  

In the circle at Queens University, TEDx Charlotte.  Photo by Deborah Triplett.

I'm a truly proud papa, too - the Raleigh Drum Circle celebrated its 9th anniversary this year and is still growing and glowing!  Hoop Jams at Pullen Park have created an ecstatic, energetic community that Carolyn Mabry is even taking indoors for the winter!  First Friday street fairs are awesome collaborations with the fire-dance performers.  The Lake Johnson Jam this Fall has been lightly-themed, intimate, and amazing.  December's theme will be GIVING;  join us on Monday, December 19 from 7-8:30pm, INDOORS at Lake Johnson Park:  4601 Avent Ferry Rd, Raleigh, NC.  ($5/person or $10/family)

AND I'm taking things up a really big notch by enrolling in graduate school!  In less than 30 days I'll be starting the Transformative Leadership program with Tai Sophia Institute in Maryland.  It's an immersive, executive weekend format based in ancient wisdom traditions.  I believe my studies there will nicely tie together many of the drum circle concepts I've been exploring on community, culture, and leadership to take this work to an entirely new level of depth and understanding.  Wish me luck!

In the circle at Floydfest 2011.  Photo by Scott Swimmer.