African Drumming Incursions for Schools & Kindergartens
Our African drumming incursions bring hands-on West African drumming, singing and dance to your students. They link to the Australian Curriculum and the EYLF. In addition, every student plays a real djembe, because we bring the drums, the artists and the energy.
We run African drumming incursions across the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide.
The Drum Sing Dance program
Rhythm Culture brings the energy, excitement and connection of West African drumming and dance to students across Australia. Our Drum Sing Dance program combines African drumming, singing and dancing in one action-packed, culturally rich incursion.
First, students warm up with coordination exercises on African drums. They explore call-and-response drumming patterns, then they work together to learn traditional rhythms which create a full musical ensemble.
We also tailor every workshop to the age, abilities and interests of your group. For example, little ones discover the beat for the first time, while senior students explore complex polyrhythms and ensemble playing.
African drumming incursions and workshops we offer
Primary & High School Incursions
Traditional rhythms and ensemble playing, as well as song and dance, for Prep–12.
Explore school incursionsKindergarten & Early Learning
Playful rhythm, songs and movement games that are also mapped to the EYLF.
Explore kindy incursionsCorporate Team Building
Drumming workshops for staff days, as well as conferences and events.
Explore team building
Primary & high school African drumming incursions
Students get hands-on with traditional African drums and percussion. As a result, they learn rhythmic patterns, practise active listening and build coordination. Then, as the rhythms layer up, the class creates an exciting musical ensemble, with traditional songs, call-and-response and dance woven in.
- Builds teamwork, communication, concentration and confidence
- Also develops appreciation of cultural diversity
- Explores the role of music and dance in West African communities
- Suits cultural, wellbeing and reward days, Harmony Week, as well as Music and Arts units
How African drumming incursions support learning
Our African drumming incursions complement the Australian Curriculum and the Early Years Learning Framework. As a result, they give educators a meaningful and joyful way to extend learning.
The Arts: Music & Dance
Students explore rhythm, musical patterns and movement. They also develop creative expression, performance skills and an understanding of cultural traditions.
General Capabilities
Each workshop supports Personal and Social Capability, as well as Critical and Creative Thinking and Intercultural Understanding.
EYLF Learning Outcomes
For early childhood settings, activities connect with all five outcomes: identity, community, wellbeing, learning and communication.
Kindergarten & early childhood incursions
For younger children, we make rhythm playful, active and full of discovery. Through simple drumming patterns, songs, movement and games, children explore sound, beat and rhythm. As a result, they develop listening skills, coordination, body awareness and self-expression. Most importantly, they have fun learning together.
So jump the big jump and dance the African dance rumble! After all, every child deserves the chance to belong, be involved and discover the joy of rhythm.
Supporting the EYLF through music, movement & play
Our incursions also align with the Early Years Learning Framework: Belonging, Being and Becoming.
Identity & belonging, because children participate, express themselves and enjoy making music together.
Community, since sharing rhythms, taking turns and responding to others builds relationships.
Wellbeing, as drumming and dancing support coordination, body awareness and confidence.
Confident learners, so playful exploration of sound and beat makes children curious, involved learners.
Communication, while children experiment, express ideas and communicate through music and movement.
In addition, the program introduces the richness of West African traditions, so children build respect for cultural diversity.
Vacation care drumming incursions
Enjoy high-energy African drum and dance vacation care incursions with loads of instruments. They are fast-paced and packed with movement, so children Drum Sing Dance their way into the school holidays!
Explore vacation care incursions
How booking an incursion works
- 1. Request a quoteFirst, tell us your year levels, student numbers and preferred dates.
- 2. We tailor the sessionThen we adapt the content to your group’s age, abilities and learning focus.
- 3. We bring everythingOn the day, our artists bring a drum for every student, so there are no hire or travel fees.
- 4. Everyone performsFinally, sessions finish with the whole group playing together as one ensemble.
Corporate team building: the power of rhythm
Forget the usual team-building activities. Instead, everyone starts with a drum, and before long the group is creating rhythms together. As a result, participants discover how individual contributions combine into something much bigger.
Our workshops suit staff development days, including school staff PD, as well as conferences, celebrations and retreats. Drumming also lifts morale, relieves stress and puts everyone on equal footing. So bring your team, and we’ll bring the drums!
Plan a team-building workshopClasses, camps & school drum sets
Beyond our African drumming incursions, Rhythm Culture also runs a thriving West African drum and dance community on the Sunshine Coast.
Weekly African Drumming Classes
Open djembe classes for all levels run at Palmwoods Memorial Hall. Then, every ten weeks, students perform at our Drum, Dinner, Dance event.
Drumming class detailsWest African & Afro-pop Dance Classes
Weekly classes feature live drumming. No experience is needed, and we also share practice videos to keep you moving all week.
Dance class detailsCamp Afro Foli
Every winter, our three-day camp on the Sunshine Coast also features international and interstate artists.
About Camp Afro FoliSchool Drum Packages
We make and sell djembes and dunduns for schools and childcare centres. We can also make them in your school colours!
Enquire about drum setsWhat schools say about our incursions
“Everyone absolutely loved the incursion! The children were so engaged and excited to experience the African culture through the music, dancing, and interactive activities… Your presenter did an outstanding job. We will definitely be looking at booking this incursion every year.”
“Rhythm Culture were incredible. Full of energy and very engaging for the students. They had us all singing, dancing and laughing. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.”
“Excellent African Drumming workshop!! We had so much fun, learnt loads of new rhythms and felt energised and connected afterwards. Our group was infused with enthusiasm and we improved noticeably. Highly recommended!”
Recent incursions also include Groves Christian College Kindergarten and Bethany Lutheran Primary School vacation care. Read more testimonials
African drumming incursions FAQs
What ages are your African drumming incursions suitable for?
Our African drumming incursions suit kindergartens, early learning centres, primary schools, high schools and vacation care programs. In addition, we adapt every session to the age and abilities of the group.
Do we need to supply drums?
No. Every student has a West African drum at no extra cost, because we bring all the instruments.
Which areas do you travel to?
We visit schools across Australia, including the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide. What’s more, there are no travel fees.
How does the incursion link to the curriculum?
It complements The Arts (Music and Dance) in the Australian Curriculum, as well as the General Capabilities and all five EYLF learning outcomes.
How long is a session and how many students can take part?
Sessions run from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on group size, ages and activity. For example, we can run several back-to-back sessions with around 30 students in each. Otherwise, we can run one large session with all students together.
Get a quick & easy incursion quote
Planning a school incursion, cultural celebration, kindergarten program or special event? Then we’ll tailor a Drum Sing Dance experience to suit you.