The drumming workshops we provide center around the Djembe drum, not only is this workshop practical, but it also delivers a brief history of the drum. Musically this activity helps to strengthen the participants rhythm and timing, there are frequent solo breaks in which you can express your own creativity, and resume playing in a group after, this activity also helps to bond groups, and break down barriers.
The African hand drum has been used for thousands of years in celebrations, rituals and ceremonies. However, the merging of science with the healing qualities of the African hand drum is a relatively new development.
A study lead by neurologist Barry Bitman of the mind-body wellness centre in Meadville, Pa., found that patients who took part in group drumming, or drumming circles, experienced increased levels of disease-fighting immune system cells called natural killer cells. Bitman tested blood chemistry of 111 healthy people in a series of experiments. Participants in all groups experienced a drop in cortisol, an indicator of stress, Bitman says, but only the group of active drummers had a significant increase in natural killer cells. He attributes the change to the self-expression, camaraderie and the rhythmic drumming. Research has also shown that drumming induces an alpha brain state which is associated with stress release, mental clarity, enhanced productivity and creativity and the ability to process information more effectively.
The first controlled scientific investigation of its kind to document specific immune system effects of group drumming music therapy in normal subjects was published in the prestigious international journal, Alternative Therapies- Jan. 2001. The research team included Barry B Bitman, MD; Lee S Berk, DrPH, MPH; David L. Felton, MD and Melissa Ninehouser, BS.
REFERENCE: Bitman, B. B. 2001. “Composite Effects of Group Drumming Music Therapy on Modulation of Neuroendocrine-immune Parameters in Normal Subjects”, Alternative Therapies, 1, 38-47
