Best Reasons to Have an African Dance Workshop at School

If you’ve never experienced one of our workshops before, you may not have considered the numerous ways African Drumming and Dance can help children’s health, well-being and ability to succeed.

Here are four reasons workshops can be a key element to making a success in your classroom:

1. African Drumming and Dance brings the world’s most important cultural issues to life!

This African Drumming and Dance workshop provides a fantastic activity for Black History Month, an Africa theme or in an event such as a Cultural Diversity Day.

It’s a thrilling moment for students and teachers alike, when they play the first rumble with the African hand-made djembe drums. Each student who plays their drums made by hand, they discover a whole world of tradition, history and culture – not just simply by reading or listening instead of actively playing and participating. They get to learn about the traditions and culture that is West Africa. A recent Headteacher at one of our schools ‘it is the hands-on activities such as African drumming that kids are able to take away and retain from cultural topics as they participate of the music instead to just being spectators.’

2. African Drumming and Dance boosts children’s confidence!

It’s a frequent occurrence during workshops where a child who really struggles with literacy and maths, or is shy and socially disengaged in class, completely transforms during a drumming session. It is as if they’ve finally discovered something that “pulls” them emotionally and gives them a sense of release.

African Dance is also a excellent way for children to boost their confidence in themselves. Dancers typically perform in front of an audience either by themselves or by two or three other dancers. The children in our workshops are invited to dance to their fellow dancers within in the drummer circle. This portion of the class is completely optional for students and we will provide gentle encouragement by declaring that the experience will make feel amazing afterward. After a few of the more confident kids have given it a try before, we are able to witness several other kids eager to give it the chance to try it. As a result, some of the shy and reclusive children amaze everyone by getting into the circle and sharing their enthusiasm from the sound! The happiness on their faces following the session speak about their feelings of accomplishment!

3. African Drumming and Dance gets children active which improves the brain!

African Drumming and Dance is a fantastic way to help children exercise and release their energy. African Djembe drumming helps build strength and endurance in the upper part of the body, while dancing improves cardiovascular fitness and is a total training for the body. This is obviously great for enhancing children’s fitness and well-being, but studies have shown that the exercise helps sharpen the mind; makes for happy children, and boosts the performance of children in different subjects like literacy and maths.

4. African Drumming and Dance improves listening skills , not only in music!

It is a typical thing you’ll hear teachers saying in music classes”listen!”. It’s a great reason, too. Because good listening is essential. As with all forms of music, learning African drumming is great for building various listening abilities. For instance, the ability to focus listening to a specific pattern within a multi-rhythmic piece music (multiple rhythms are played simultaneously) or to develop the skills to understand the feeling of rhythms when listening to the regular rhythm.

Whatever type of listening that is required, there is a common individual characteristic that is vital to any budding musician – the ability to give oneself time to reflect and process the information that has been listened to. Experiential African drummers who are learning something new always make sure to take the time to listen before beginning playing, because they are all too aware that their brains can make faulty assumptions about the information they’ve heard basing it on what they know. Although the children often find it difficult to not play immediately!

The best part is that children can not only improve their listening in music with African Drumming, but can apply the same technique to social situations, for instance, in conversations. When you allow yourself to pay attention to what someone else is saying, you can stop one’s internal chatter from making assumptions. You must truly take in what someone is being said and then create a greater sense of rapport – this is known as ‘active listening’ which is an important life skill for children to master as early as possible!

If you’re a teacher who would love a day of African dance schools workshops for your students, or you are planning an Africa Topic or Black History event planned and you think we could assist, we’d love to hear from you.