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Instructor Bios |
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(IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
Michael Denney
Michael began his drum training in Djembe, Djun-Djun and Bell in the Yoruba tradition with Master Drummer and Ifa Priest Ayo Adeyemi.
This training included sacred songs and rhythms of the Yoruba and Hausa
tribes of Nigeria. After becoming proficient in the advanced rhythms
and songs that Baba Ayo taught, Michael was invited to join "The Yoruba
House Drum Ensemble" led by Baba Ayo. Michael also was asked to
facilitate warm-ups and drumming clinics for bi-weekly drum circles and
to teach classes when Baba was unavailable.
Michael's Vision
1)
To share the power and beauty of ensemble rhythms through teaching the
sacred traditional rhythms and patterns of the Yoruba people as taught
by Baba Ayo.
2)
To convert traditional Yoruba talking drum rhythms to hand drum
patterns so that mainstream hand drummers can enjoy the richness and
power of these sacred, traditional ensemble rhythms as taught by Master
Awe.
3) To form an ensemble to publicly perform these rhythms and share them with others.
4)
To hold "Healing Meditation Rituals" where the traditional rhythms can
be experienced not only for entertainment and enjoyment, but also for
healing and transformation. Michael believes that the traditional
rhythms when performed properly have powerful healing and
consciousness-raising effects on the listener.
5)
To help people understand and appreciate the rich heritage of modern
popular music by understanding its roots in the Yoruba culture that was
brought to the west hundreds of years ago.
http://www.thehealingdrum.com
Carolyn Failla
I started drumming the second Monday in April, 2002 and haven't found my off switch yet. It has become the love of my life! When I began drumming, I found a source of unity. You are not how you look or what you do for a living. We may not understand each other's language, politics or religion, but we can all play music together. I think music may be the most universal language we have.
Drumming is a natural activity. It is one of the few things everyone can do the first time they try. Rhythm is so basic; such an inherent part of life. Before we had breath, we had rhythm. We are surrounded with music in our culture, but it is often just something we have others do for us. Drumming is an easy avenue away from of observing music and into participating. I have found that everyone I meet can play music together with a bit of compassionate facilitation. And did I mention how much fun this is? First of all, we're playing!
I have studied West African Drumming since 2002, and have been teaching since 2005. Recently, I have been teaching adaptive programs for children through the Elk's Rehab. In February, I was most fortunate to attend the the Remo HealthRhythms training in Valencia, CA, taught by Christine Stevens and Dr. Berry Bittman; attended by some of the most wonderful people in the health care industry. The gift they shared is one I now can share with you!
Listen to your heartbeat - we all have the same one. Come Play! We're all in this together.
Welcome Home!
Contact Information:
208.424.9519
faillamail-box@yahoo.com
Djenne Hearne
 first became exposed to Malinke-style rhythms
afterher two young boys presented her with a mother’s day gift
certificate to attend class at Drum Central three years ago. The love
affair began instantly and now Djenne is proud to consider herself a
student of djembe master, Mamady Keita. She has taken increasing
opportunities to study directly with Mamady when he hosts his United
States tour each fall. Djenne facilitates children’s classes and residency
programs at local schools.
Djenne’s Rhythm Philosophy
As an
artist in thefield of percussion, my primary goal is to share with
others. Drumming is not a solo act. The beauty and magic blossoms only
when an ensemble of players synergize by combining their knowledgeof the
history and tradition with their desire to create a polyrhythmic sequence
– not unlike a symphony.
Come play with us!
 Trisha, aka Katisha is a dedicated belly dancer, drummer and choreographer who has performed nationally. She has studied with legendary performers from the United States, Middle East, France and Germany. Some notables include Horacio and Beata Cifuentes, Leila Hedad, the late Ibrahim Farrah, as well Jamila and Suhaila Salimpour. Katisha began studying Meddle Eastern Dance and Percussion at age fourteen. Over the years she has intensified her focus on Middle Easter percussion, creating compositions for performance dance pieces. Her classes are open to all levels and are geared for performance in an ensemble to accompany Middle Eastern dance.
Matt McCarter  Instructor,
facilitator, performer and recording artist Matt McCarter came to Boise
from Seattle, WA. Matt has studied a wide range of Afro-Cuban folkoric
percussion with Regino Jimenez, Carlos Aldama and Michael Spiro and he
co-directed Seattle Folkloric Collective. He also studied in Cuba and
learned how to play with the locals. He has a very adaptive teaching
style and focuses on engaging every skill level in his classes.
McCarter often uses percussion as a tool to engage youth and adults in
dialogue about personal development and community organizing.
Ben Pursley 
Hand Drum Instruction & Performance
Ben
has been playing, studying, and enjoying traditional hand drumming
since 1992, both as a professional performance and recording artist, as
well as an instructor and sharer of rhythmic community awareness.
Frequent workshops with Gordy Ryan, Arthur Hull and Fred Simpson,
combined with and on-going study with master djembefola Mamady Keita,
Famoudou Konate and the grandfather, Ladji Camara, has allowed Ben to
develop unparalleled tonal technique and quality, along with a wealth
of knowledge and respect for the rhythms, music and songs of the
Malinke, Baga and Susu people of Guinea, West Africa.
Currently
seeking a degree from Boise State University in Philosophy and Music,
with intent on going to a Ph.D. program in Ethnomusicology, Ben's
vision of sharing this music with a larger audience in apparent. With
an ever growing understand of a vast array of musical styles, including
West African, Mid-Eastern, East Indian combined with this new North and
South American influence creates a fusion of dance oriented percussion
repertoire that will put a smile on the face of even the most critical
listener. Come and play. Dance and sing. Unity.
CONTACT INFO:
benpursley@cableone.net
(208) 850-4050
Harrison Tei
Harrison Tei was raised in the City of Accra, Ghana, West Africa. He started drumming and dancing at the age of 9, studying various drums from Ghana and surrounding countries. Harrison started teaching traditional drumming and dance in schools and at the University of Ghana in 1992. In 1998 he founded the Peace and Love Dance Ensemble. The group toured for many years in Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Niger until 2005. Harrison’s classes range from beginning to advanced and are focused on the rhythms and songs from his Native Ghana.
Harrison’s goals are to share his passion for his culture through his classes as well as develop a cultural exchange/study abroad program from Boise to Ghana; in order to introduce the culture, music, and dance to his students. We would like to welcome Harrison as the latest addition of instructors at Drum Central.
Contact info:
hakunamatata_76@yahoo.com
Rick Thomson
Djembe & Dunun Instruction, Facilitation & Performance
Rick
first encountered a large drum circle at the Oregon Country Fair in
1996, and was hooked. In January of 1997 he started the monthly Full
Moon circle at Farmer Brown's and was able to facilitate it for a year
and a half before running out of steam, and decided to start studying
drum. Rick is also a founding member of Drum Central and has been
teaching youth and adult beginners for eight years. Rick feels his
strongest area of understanding is in counting and its relationship to
rhythms. He most enjoys playing in the dunun section - Foundation baby!
CONTACT INFO: (208) 424-9519
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Mearah |
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Mearah's Treasures Bellydance Shop and the Desert Dreams Dance Studio is the "one-stop shop" for all those who love Middle Eastern dance, movement and costuming. Classes are based on the core movements of Bellydance while incorporating movements from the many cultures that make up the Middle East.
Mearah believes that learning the core movements allows one to begin to interpret the music and encourages the exploration of both the dance and music.
All classes begin with the basics and new classes are formed according to demand.
The studio and shop are located at 4419 Marvin Street and bellydance classes, clothing and mehndi are available. Mearah, the student group Desert Dreams and the performance group Oasis Dreams are available to perform at your festivals, parties and functions.
"I believe that every person, no matter what shape, color or age that they are, has the dance lurking inside just waiting to be coaxed out."
For more information, please see:
www.mearah.com
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Amaja School of Dance |
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About the Amaja School
PHILOSOPHY
Amaja
School
of Dance is founded on the belief that only when
we learn to accept and nurture ourselves can we begin to truly
accept and nurture others. Students are encouraged
to engage
the dance as a means of finding their own center and balance
and
core power. Emphasis is placed on self-expression and a
positive self-image. Our classes provide a safe and
welcoming
environment, and building self-confidence is always at the
heart of
the interaction between students, and between instructors and
students, during classes as well as performance events.
Bellydance is a dance for everyone—
every size and shape, every age and ability.
Classes are small and designed to meet individual needs.
All
classes offer elements of stretching and toning, muscular and
cardiovascular conditioning, and choreography. In
addition to
these features, each class also specifically focuses on one of
three individual elements: Bellydance, Jazz, or Dance
for Kids:
Music & Motion.
CORE STRENGTH
Core
strength refers to both the physical
conditioning of our core/abdominal muscles and the connection
of our mind and body and our inner strength. In addition to
protecting vital organs, core muscles also support our skeletal
frame. When we strengthen and isolate these muscles, we
improve posture, and increase overall health and self-awareness.
SELF CONFIDENCE
Building self-confidence
through bellydance is at the very heart
of the Amaja School of Dance teaching method.
While other
dance forms and teaching methods may focus on difference and
exclusivity, bellydance at Amaja is all about making the dance—its
form and expressivity— available to anyone who is interested in
personal growth. Students of every level from beginning to
advanced are encouraged to extend and explore their physical
vocabulary—challenging themselves with new styles and even, if
they are so inclined, with participation in
group and solo performances!
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NEJWAH’S MID-EASTERN DANCE TROUPE |
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BIOGRAPHY
2005
NEJWAH’S MID-EASTERN DANCE TROUPE
Nejwah’s Mid-Eastern Dance Troupe, formed in 1983, is comprised of eight
dancers who specialize in authentic, traditional dancing. Their shows
offer a variety of family entertainment. In addition to cabaret (belly)
dancing, they perform specialty and folk dances from
Arabia
,
Greece
,
Morocco
,
Egypt
,
Persia
,
Tunisia
, The Filipines, and
Tahiti
. The Troupe's 30 to 60 minute performances follow a pattern of
changing musical moods, demonstrating the mystique, emotion, and fun of
Mid-Eastern dancing. The Troupe uses authentic music and costuming, and
cultural and historical information is presented with each dance.
Nejwah, the Troupe’s director, has performed in the
Boise
area for over 28 years, and has instructed belly
dancing for over 25 years. She has been an instructor at Arts For Kids
for the past eleven years. In addition to managing the troupe, she owns
and operates Belly Dance By Nejwah, a service that offers performances for
parties and conventions, and belly grams for birthdays and other occasions; and
is the director for Nejwah’s
School
of
Dance
and International Boutique. Nejwah is considered by many to be
SW Idaho
’s premiere Belly Dancer.
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Cario Fusion |
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Cairo
Fusion is a new and unique group of dancers forming in Boise. Although our style is based mainly in American Bellydance and Tribal fusion, our specialties lie in combining Traditional Middle Eastern Bellydance with Flamenco, Andalusian, East Indian, Tribal, and modern & urban dance styles.
Our focus is to innovate the dance world, while raising the Belly Dance bar. Cairo Fusion takes pride in creating quality performance and offering something a little different from the mainstream perception of what bellydance is. We mix the ancient with the modern, creating a new style all unto it's own. Our progressive style is unlike anything you have seen before!
Cairo Fusion is composed of the student/professional performance group,~Mazana~ , and our aspiring student performers, the ~Gypsy Echoes~.
Samira samirailnaia@hotmail.com
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