Drummer Brings West African Culture to Alma
Ryan Edwards, director of Lake Water Drumworks based in Ann Arbor, leads a high-energy, hands-on drumming session that teaches participants about West African drumming, culture, and dance on Wednesday, February 22, from 6-8 p.m. in Jones Auditorium.
Edwards and Leutkemeier visit Hillcrest Elementary School for culture demonstrations to students. They plan to bring twenty drums for students to play and students from Leutkemeier’s drum therapy class display drums they made in class.
The event is sponsored by a grant from the Alma College President’s Diversity Advisory Council, which works to add diversity to Alma's campus. After seeing Edwards at the Wheatland Music Festival, Dr. Maurie Leutkemeier, professor of exercise and health science, thought it would be fun to bring him to Alma College and help broaden community understanding of African culture.
There will be between fifty and sixty hand drums for the audience to play in a huge, very loud and exciting drum circle. While Edwards teaches the rhythms of ceremonial dances he has observed in Guinea, a dancer in the middle of the circle interprets the dance that goes along with the rhythms.
Leutkemeier sees this event as “a good chance to expand the borders at Alma College and allow for more international interaction.”
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Posted: Fri, February 17th, 2006 at 2:42PM
