Different Types of Drum Circles

There many types and definitions of what a drum circle is according to how the interactive drumming event is used.
The three most obvious examples of drum circles are the Free-form Improvisational Drum Circle, the Culturally Specific Drum Circle, and the Facilitated Community Drum Circle.

Free-form improvisational drum circles and Culturally Specific drum circles are extreme opposites on the drum circle scale. 

A free-form improvisational drum circle has no rules and has no leader or facilitator. Its a gathering of people who want to explore and express their rhythmical spirit using drums and percussion in a style of “Rhythmical Alchemy” where everyone’s is creating In-The-Moment music through improvisation. The music stemming from these events changes constantly. It can range from wonderfully beautiful moments of rhythmical connection to excruciating painful moments of rhythm disconnect where the rhythm "Crashes - Burns and Dies."

A Culturally Specific drum circle has a lot of rules and not much room for improvisation. A Culturally Specific drum circle is a group of people drumming together with each one playing one rhythm part without stopping or changing for the length of the pre-prescribed drumming part. That single part is locked into a combination of other rhythm parts that create an amazingly complex and powerful rhythm song. That rhythm song has a name, a purpose, and cultural history that has been passed down from generation to generation. That rhythm song can be played by a group of disciplined drummers for an extended period of time without changing. 

A family-friendly facilitated Community Drum Circle is the middle ground between the two extremes mentioned above. It is where freedom of expression and the understanding of interactive musicality exist? The community drum circle is guided by a rhythm event facilitator who is supporting the group's intention to play together, connect rhythmically, making space for other people’s rhythm exploration, while contributing their own rhythmical spirit into the In-The-Moment Rhythmical Alchemy. 

When we look at the large variations of facilitated rhythm events that currently are being used in our society, we can see that they are being utilized as a professional tool that meets specific needs of a particular population.

Village Music Circles Global™ do drum circle facilitation trainings which are based on how to facilitate a community drum circle. Incorporated into that training are all the elements that professional "Rhythm Care Givers" can adapt to, promote and facilitate rhythm-based events in specific populations such as School children, Well elderly, Dementia and Alzheimer patients, Corporate team-building and Special Needs.

That is why in our Village Music Circles™ Drum Circle Facilitator Trainings you can find School Teachers, Music Teachers, Drum Teachers, Music Therapists, Elderly-related Professionals, Adults and Kids at Risk Professionals, Special Needs Professionals, Corporate Facilitators, Doctors, Nurses and Healthcare Professionals, School Rhythm Event Facilitators, Community Drum Circles Facilitators, Professional Musicians, Recreational Drummers, Culturally specific drummers and personal growth trainers.

It has been our experience that facilitated rhythm-based events covers a broad spectrum of our society, from Pre-Natal to Hospice.

What part of your community do you serve? Come join us and become a "Rhythm Care Giver".

Share your Spirit . . .   Arthur