Community Classes
Community drum classes have always been the core component of traditional West African Drum and Dance study in the United States and for most people it was, and still is the only way to learn authentic culturally specific music. Ryan began teaching community drum classes at the Long Beach Nature Center in 1998 and has always been at the forefront of new and innovative approaches to community education. From offering practice play-along CD's, to notation, to full blown multi-media web resources, Ryan offers unparalled support, allowing students to concentrate on the music, not recording or writing.
Ryan's unique teaching style is a reflection of the numerous different master teachers he's studied with over the years. "I teach the way I want to be taught," says Ryan. "I'm constantly searching for ways to make things clearer and for processes that appeal to the largest number of people. My community classes have definitely benefited from work in the education field. I treat community classes like I would any University course, with a clear syllabus and comprehensible, flexible lesson plans allowing maximum student growth and building on successes."
Ryan has created a five-level community education program for the non-profit organization Denbaya, Inc. in Ashland, Oregon. Each level's curriculum makes it clear to each student which techniques and information must be mastered in order to be considered eligible for a level certification. Certification provides students benchmarks for measuring progress and encourages learners to reflect on their achievements and to consider what challenges lie ahead.
The professional lessons provide intensive hands-on training for a comprehensive perspective on West African music. Lesson series are held throughout the year and are usually conducted in five-week increments for maximum flexibility, student retention, and student budgets. Each series builds an understanding of rhythms from the ground up and no two series are identical: instructors choose from a wide variety of level-appropriate rhythms, exercises, arrangements and techniques. Course content choices are based on the immediate students' needs with an eye to preparing each student for the next level of learning.
Contact Ryan for more on community drumming classes!
