Rhythm · Music · Voice · Movement · Community
Afro Drumming & Movement for Adults
Learn the rhythm. Feel it in the body. Find your place in the ensemble.
- Who it is for
- Adults · beginners welcome · cultural centres, theatres, festivals, community programmes, organisations and participatory arts settings
- Age
- 18+
- Format
- Workshop · course or drop-in series · performance · workshop + performance · 3 artists
- Artists
- Solo Diarra, Bafana Nhlapo, Adjei Ipateng
Afro Drumming & Movement for Adults is an immersive and participatory programme that explores West African rhythm through three connected elements: music, voice and movement.
Led by Solo Diarra, Bafana Nhlapo and Adjei Ipateng, the programme is centred around the djembe and develops from fundamental rhythms and technique into ensemble playing, songs, movement and shared performance.
About the programme
The djembe is the foundation of the programme, but rhythm is approached as more than a pattern played on a drum. Participants learn to experience rhythm through instrument, voice and body.
The workshops begin with the fundamentals of djembe playing: basic sounds, technique, timing, listening and accessible West African rhythm patterns. As participants develop, individual parts are layered together and the group explores how different rhythms communicate within an ensemble. Elements of dun dun playing introduce the deeper pulse and supporting rhythmic structures.
- Music: Solo Diarra develops djembe technique, rhythmic vocabulary, ensemble playing and the musical relationship between djembe and dun dun.
- Voice: Bafana Nhlapo brings songs, vocal rhythm and call-and-response into the music, exploring the relationship between percussion, breath and collective singing.
- Movement: Adjei Ipateng connects rhythm to the body through coordination, physical expression and movement with the drum, so participants experience the pulse beyond seated playing.
Together, these three elements create a learning journey in which rhythm is played, sung, heard and embodied. Participants develop their own skills while learning to listen to one another, hold a rhythmic part and contribute to the collective sound.
Beginners are welcome, and returning participants can keep developing. Single sessions work as drop-in workshops, while a longer course allows a natural progression from foundations to layered rhythms, songs, movement, ensemble playing and performance.
Workshop, performance or both
- Workshop: a participatory learning experience centred on djembe, with dun dun, voice, songs, movement and ensemble work.
- Performance: Solo Diarra, Bafana Nhlapo and Adjei Ipateng also perform together as a djembe crew, bringing the relationship between music, voice and movement onto the stage.
- Workshop + performance: for festivals, cultural centres and community events, the two can be combined. Audiences first meet the artists in performance, then take part directly in rhythm, voice and movement.
An established programme
The workshop has been developed through an ongoing programme at Nordic Black Theatre / Cafeteatret, where the artists have run adult Afro drumming workshops for almost two years, as a course and drop-in format for both regular participants and newcomers.
The next course period runs from 10 October to 12 December 2026.
Djembe crew: performance history
Alongside the workshops, the artists perform together as a djembe crew. Performances include the African Heritage Festival at Melahuset, Ghanor Festival, Musikkens Dag at Kubaparken, Afro Arts Festival and several performances at Nordic Black Theatre.
