Belchertown Recreation Department
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West African Drumming • Register • View Cart •

Learn how to play a West-African drum.  This four week program will offer some history and explanation of of the drums along with the technique on how to make the basic sounds on the drum.  We will work on basic rhythms and classes will be taught building from one basic rhythm and adding parts to make a poly rhythmic whole. Participants will work together on correct sound production of the tones on the drum playing one part of the rhythm and playing with one another as a unit.  It’s an energizing and just plain fun experience to have.  It involves using listening, feeling and a different form of thought process. 

Registration Deadline
  • 10 days prior to the start of the session
  • A $10.00 late fee applies to all registrations after the deadline

Instructor
  • Jafar Manselle taught in the Boston and Cambridge public schools for the last 35 years teaching drumming to all ages from kindergarten to adult classes. He has performed throughout New England with many Boston based dance troupes such as “Art of Black Dance and Music”, “Uprising Dance Theatre” and “Under the Sun Dance and Drum”. Jafar and colleagues performed for the Inauguration Ceremony in 2023. Since moving to Western Massachusetts he has worked as one of the Five Colleges accompanist for their African Dance program. He also plays drum kit in a Boston based Jazz group called “The Unexpected, and in two Western Mass based reggae bands called “Root Fiyah” and “Inner Fiyah”.

Register Activity Ages Grades Days Date/Time Fees
 
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Fall 2025 
18y and up N/A W  09/10/2025 - 10/01/2025
05:30 PM - 06:30 PM
Recreation Center 		$75.00 Res, $85.00 Non-Res
* Adjustments and discounts will be applied during checkout if applicable. *

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