Class Information

Community Classes are for all ages and levels.

Join us for traditional African dances from Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Zimbabwe and many more. Classes are run by volunteers and all class fees go towards studio rent and paying our Guest Teachers!  Local teachers do not make money on teaching drum or dance classes.

We try to bring in Guest Teachers from around the world once a month. Check out our class schedule to find out about upcoming classes and whether there will be Fale teachers or Guest teachers.

To Join our Weekly Class Reminder mailing list email us at info@fcdrumanddance.com

What to expect - How does this all work?  

If you’ve never been to an African drum and dance class, you might wonder what to expect.  Here’s the overview:

We are a community co-op that shares what we have learned from master guest teachers to keep our community moving and grooving with live drum music.  Each rhythm has cultural history and meaning, so we honor our teachers and the culture with this information. It’s not an anything-goes drum circle, we are coming together with a shared intention drumming and dancing with the same purpose.  With space for your own unique style and expression.  

There is no commitment or sign-up. Check the calendar and just show up!   We're there most every week. It's a community of folks that are passionate about drum and dance so we take turns teaching and bring master guest teachers in about once a month to learn new rhythms and dive deeper into ones we already know.  We cater to the abilities of whoever is there each week, and there is always a way to modify it to make it accessible to you!

Drum class is first and we focus the first half hour for beginner lessons and then get more complicated from there. The dancers come later and the drummers play for the dancers to stretch and warm up. Then the leader will break down the steps in detail, then drummers play again for the dancers to dance what they learned. 

If you are new, we recommend trying both!  Learn to drum, learn to dance, and do whichever you feel called to do.  All genders are welcome to both drum and dance.  When you are a beginner, it is normal to feel a bit overwhelmed and make mistakes.  We don’t learn without making mistakes and sometimes feeling a little foolish.  Come with an open “beginner's mind.”   It’s not about being perfect and looking good.  It's all about learning and having fun! And the more you come the more you get a feel for things, it gets a little more familiar, and the more fun it becomes!  So we hope you will return again and again! 

Bring your own djembe if you have one and want to drum.  If you don't have one, our drummers have plenty to share.  Just be sure to reach out via email or Facebook at least a day or two in advance to let us know to bring extras.

Nothing beats moving your body to live drumming!  Come join us!  If there is anything else you need to know, just ask!  We're happy to share what we can and help you enjoy yourself.