With a background in music and holistic health, I offer rhythm events and drum workshops to bring people together in the spirit of cooperation and connection. I am passionate in my belief that our own unique contribution to everything that we do is vital to the success of the whole. This feeling of empowerment through musical collaboration while celebrating our uniqueness in the circle is something that I hope we can take out into the world once the drum circle ends. I love bringing diverse groups together through drumming and rhythm and I believe that group drumming is a powerful tool for team building, community spirit, personal well-being, and transformation.
I have a Bachelors Degree in Music and an Associates Degree in Occupational Studies for Massage Therapy. In addition, I have facilitated group meditation, taught Improvisation and Songwriting, and am the Creator of the Theater Boot Camp Intensive, which brought teachers from NYC to North Carolina to teach Arts Camps to kids. I received a North Carolina Arts Council Grant, as well as the Able Olman Award for excellence in Songwriting.
In order to train to do this work, I have attended various workshops and trainings with Jim Donovan (Sound Healing and Rhythm Renewal) Ubaka Hill, Five Rhythms Dance, and am currently in the Music For People Improvisation program. I have also been mentored by an extraordinary Drum Circle Facilitator, Greg Whitt (Drum For Change).
I have been playing music since I was seven years old and it has been a great stress reliever and source of creative expression that has been very important to me. I find that everyone has an innate sense of rhythm and strive to create musical experiences that are non-judgmental and encouraging, regardless of anyone’s musical experience or knowledge of any particular instruments. In the circle, everyone is equal and there is no way to do it wrong!
I belong to these professional organizations:
Drum Circle Facilitator’s Guild
Dramatists Guild of America
American Massage Therapy Association
I am fortunate to have worked with the following groups and organizations as a Drum Circle Facilitator:
Longleaf Rehab (Dementia Unit)
The Landing Assisted Living
The Greens Nursing Home
Arts Council (Goldsboro, NC)
Partnership For Children
The ARC
Greenwich Senior Center
Atria Assisted Living
Port Chester Senior Center
Arch Street Teen Center
Lotus Wellness Center
Wee School
Wilson Medical Center
Grief Camp for Kids
Maplewood at Strawberry Hill
Healing Hearts Camp for Kids with Disabilities
Community Centers of Greenwich
Albertson Church
Freeman Round House Museum
and many more!