NEW Introducing Afro-Cuban Percussion NEW

Brought into Cuba by the Spanish settlers in order to work the gold mines, sugar and tobacco plantations, the majority of the slaves were originally from what is today Nigeria, the Congo and other west African nations. With them they brought the rhythms, music and dance that were an intrinsic part of their religious and social life.
It is this melding of African rhythms together with guitars, melodies and lyricism from Spain that gave birth to Cuba's wealth of music and dance, and the reason the genre is usually referred to as Afro-Cuban.
By exploring the role of percussion in traditional Afro-Cuban music, an individual will understand the important contribution drums make towards a complete musical piece, and that a drum is not merely a rhythmic placeholder but truly a musical instrument that connects with the individual who plays it.
Cuban percussion is especially fun and rewarding because it is done with the hands instead of sticks or strikers. The rich variety of sounds that the hands are able to elicit from these wonderful drums produces a percussion sound which not only is rhythmic but can also be very melodic.

Interactive drumming is an exercise in communication; it promotes the power of non-verbal communication and allows participants to feel the power of group energy directly. Any feelings of isolation and conflict disappear; participants bond and become a motivated and unified group. Drumming together helps break down barriers to create a more effective and harmonious environment. The drum has been used for healing purposes throughout the world for thousands of years, in tribal societies to communicate with the spirit world, as well as a tool for social integration and to restore harmony.

No! You don't have to have any musical background to participate in Afro-Cuban drumming. Everyone has a heartbeat and a sense of rhythm. The important element is the person's keen interest in participating.

Congas
The conga drum was adapted from Africa drums. However, the conga drum was developed in Cuba to differentiate it from African drums because of the prohibition to which they were subject and also to utilize the types of materials that were naturally available in the environment. There are four different sizes of conga drums. The largest is called the tumba, and the smallest is called the niño.
Bongos
Many people think of the bongos as a toy or novelty item, but they have a rich cultural history. Bongos were developed in eastern Cuba in likely either the Guantanamo or Oriente province in the late 1800s, and are the principle drums of the music styles known as changüi and son (pronounced "sone"). These styles are a blend of the rich African and Spanish cultures of Cuba and contain the roots of modern salsa.

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*NEW* Introducing Afro-Cuban Percussion *NEW*