Join Dancing Drum in the Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Parade!
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Dancing Drum has been teaching, performing, and facilitating drumming experiences for all ages from the West Coast to the Midwest since 2002. We believe that drumming is a unique, multi-disciplinary educational tool that is inclusive of all ages and abilities, builds community and self-esteem, and educates people about the wonderful diversity of world cultures. Dancing Drum programs are interdisciplinary in nature, combining music, visual art, geography, dance, diversity education, and life-skills. The uniting force is the “heartbeat” of the drum, reminding us of the important place that music, art, and community have in all of our lives.

Our goal is to provide a support resource for schools, community centers, and businesses that wish to utilize the benefits of drumming on a regular basis. We provide all the necessary tools, from trainings, workshops, and high-quality drums to great program content, curriculum materials, and more!

DANCING DRUM News & Updates

08.09.08 Luis Conte & Cuba LA at SOHO, with special guests Dancing Drum Community Ensemble! 08.04.08 New Dancing Drum Community Ensemble session starts, 7:30-9:00pm. 06.21.08 Santa Barbara Solstice Parade! Downtown SB, State & Cota to Alameda Park. noon - ? 06.03.08 Drum Practice for the Summer Solstice Parade starts at the Dancing Drum Rhythm & Art Center! 7:30-9:00pm 05.17.08 Dancing Drum plays at the UCSB Multi-Cultural Center, 2-3pm, Isla Vista. 05.16.08 Dancing Drum plays with Zach Gill (of Jack Johnson) and The Ride at SOHO! 05.25.08 Dancing Drum's new curriculum book, CD & DVD called "Drumming Up Character" be released! Learn more about our multi-disciplinary character education curriculum for grades 2-6 at Dancing Drum's online store. 06.13.08 The United Way of Santa Barbara County nominates Dancing Drum as "Outstanding Partner." 04.20.08 Come on down to Earth Day at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse! Dancing Drum will have a booth with lots of drums to play and some beautiful new drums for sale! 03.19.08 Dancing Drum will facilitate an interactive drumming experience at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, called Over Rainbows & Down Rabbit Holes, 5:30-7:30pm. Visit www.sbmuseart.org for more info. 03.12.08 Dancing Drum will attend MusikMesse in Frankfurt, Germany. Stop by the Tycoon Percussion booth to say hi! 03.02.08 Dancing Drum performs at BORDERS Books & Music in downtown Santa Barbara. 2:00pm. Bring the whole family! 02.13.08 Online magazine, DaBelly, publishes interview with Dancing Drum talking about their new drums. Read it at http://www.dabelly.com/features/feature246StuffG.htm 02.08.08 The Dancing Drum Community Ensemble performs at SOHO's Mardi Gras Celebration, with Afro-Funk band Delta Nove. 01.17.08 Come visit Dancing Drum at The NAMM Show in Anaheim! We will be sharing a booth with Tycoon Percussion, through January 20th. 01.15.08 Dancing Drum's 5th Grade Drum Ensemble from Harding School will open the show for Luis Conte and friends at the Marjorie Luke Theatre. 7:30pm showtime. 01.12.08 Dancing Drum Community Ensemble, with special guests, will perform at Casa de La Guerra for the grand opening of the Percussion Festival. Starts at 3:00pm. This is a FREE event, and free shaker instruments will be distributed to the first 300 attendees! 01.07.08 The Dancing Drum Community Ensemble will resume practice at the Dancing Drum Rhythm & Art Center, 7:00-8:30pm. We will be preparing for our performance at the Santa Barbara Symphony International Festival of Percussion. Everyone is welcome to join this adult-level ensemble. 01.01.08 HAPPY NEW YEAR! May all your dreams come true. To help start your year out on the right beat, we have a great sale on all Dancing Drum djembes and djun-djuns, through Jan 15th. 12.01.07 Our HOLIDAY SALE starts today! Through December 20th, get special low prices on all Dancing Drum Signature Series Djembes and Djun-Djun drums. Online sales only. 11.19.07 Announcing the winners of our AOSA prize drawing...1st Prize: Colleen Smith, 2nd Prize: Helen Tormey, 3rd Prize: BJ Leggett. All AOSA attendees receive 10% off Dancing Drum orders through Dec. 7th! Congrats! 11.14.07 DANCING DRUM will exhibit at the AOSA National Conference in San Jose, Nov 14-18. Visit us at Booth #222! 11.09.07 A new shipment of DANCING DRUM SIGNATURE SERIES Djembes & Djun Djuns arrived at the studio. Call or email us to make an appointment to try out our best drums yet! 10.31.07 DANCING DRUM will attend PASIC with Tycoon Percussion, through November 3rd. Columbus, OH 10.05.07 Sonoma County Harvest Fair features DANCING DRUM Friday through Sunday, 3 shows per day 09.19.07 The Santa Barbara County Arts Commission awards Dancing Drum a grant for "Drumming Up World Music" residency programs in Santa Barbara schools. 09.14.07 DANCING DRUM will play at the Santa Barbara Zoo's annual ZOO-B-QUE 09.08.07 DANCING DRUM plays at the OPRAH-OBAMA fundraiser at Oprah's Montecito estate 08.27.07 COMING SOON! Dancing Drum's New Website Store will go live September 1st. Stay tuned for details... 08.22.07 Dancing Drum becomes official Education & Recreational Outreach director for Tycoon Percussion 08.04.07 The Dancing Drum Rhythm & Art Center is currently closed to the public through January. Please call (805) 729.0243 to make an appointment. 07.04.07 The Santa Barbara Symphony announces a collaboration with Dancing Drum for the first annual International Festival of Percussion, to feature great drummers like Luis Conte, Roy Haynes, and San Jose Taiko.