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Classroom Workshops are intended for individual classrooms (15-30 students) that take place in one classroom period (45-minutes). Workshops are designed to support and extend classroom curriculum, build teamwork and self-esteem, and promote individual expression.
HeartBeat Afrika offers the following Classroom Workshops:
Be On the One
Percussion experts will introduce your students to the geographic and cultural origins of traditional African drums and rhythms. Students will learn basic playing techniques and participate in the creative process of drum orchestration. The Be On the One workshop emphasizes the importance of teamwork through focus and cooperation resulting in students working as one unit, one sound, one voice.
Coinciding Areas of Study: Social Studies, Culture, History, Science & Technology Target Audience: Pre K – 12, Higher Education
Street Percussion- Music is Everywhere!
This workshop will keep your students’ fingers tapping as they discover that “Music is Everywhere!” From trashcans, ladders and buckets, students will find rhythm in everyday objects as they transform common materials into beautiful music.
Coinciding Areas of Study: Music Appreciation, Science & Technology
Target Audience: Pre K – 12; college
Move & Groove
Students will “move and groove” during this workshop as they work with professional musicians and performers to compose and present a performance piece directly from HeartBeat Afrika’s show! The final performance includes body percussion, street percussion, stepping, stomping, and is combined with African drumming.
Coinciding Areas of Study: Social Studies, Culture, History, Music Appreciation & Performance and Dance
Target Audience: Pre K-12; college
Power of the Word
Infusing the written word with lyrical expression and performance, students will learn how to integrate hip-hop culture and music with poetry. Students will learn the elements of poetry, participate in creative writing exercises and hone performance techniques. The element of the drum may be added to this workshop.
Coinciding Areas of Study: English Language Arts, Performance, Culture
Target Audience: Pre K-12; college
Drum-Making
Traditional Djembe
Found in cultures throughout the world, drum-making is a traditional art form still practiced in many countries. Students will work with a traditional drum-maker to construct an authentic African djembe drum using goatskin, rope and a wooden shell. Classrooms have the option of creating individual student drums or, based on available funding, classrooms may choose to work in small groups to create three to four classroom drums. Alternative drum choices include the Native American frame drum and Latin percussion.
Box Drum
A fun arts and craft project which allows each student to make and decorate their own drum. This project is inexpensive and can include large groups of students. Each student will learn basics technique and rhythms on the drum and will be able to take it home. Material fee applies.
All of these workshops are interchangeable with each other.
ARTIST RESIDENCIES (Long and/or Short Term)
Artist residencies are sequential student workshops that take place over an extended period of time throughout the school year. Artist residencies provide in-depth learning experiences for students in a more cohesive manner. Artists in residence collaborate with teachers to provide standards-based instruction that support the classroom curriculum and provide students with an array of learning experiences.
Classroom Workshops may be extended into Artist Residencies or a combination may be used to create a comprehensive Artist Residency.
Residencies may consist of creative arts and craft activities such as drum making, upon request. Artist Residencies may take place in a school or community setting including after-school or summer programs. All residencies end with a culminating student performance.
Target Audience: K-12 and college
Health RHYTHMS
Olu is a certified HealthRHYTHMS facilitator. This is a drum empowerment activity. It is evidence based and promotes team building and stress relief. This activity is great for all ages, students and professionals. .