is an arts organization focusing on “Performance, Education & Empowerment”. This artist-driven organization produces events, workshops, and series, which promote arts in community, women in the arts, and arts education. It also facilitates performance, research, and cultural exchange in order to strengthen and educate its community (Venice & Los Angeles) through the arts, bringing a unifying message of culture, community, and empowerment to the world at large.
Drum Lessons
Joselyn Wilkinson is Teaching...the language of the Drum
Learn...breathing, feeling, meditation & personal expression through traditional West African Djembe rhythm & technique. Experience...a freeing, fun, warm environment of primal percussion, movement & sound.
I would love to arrange a private lesson series with you! My lessons include some written and reference materials (history, philosophy, interesting tid-bits, where to buy, rhythms, songs, etc.). Private lessons run on a sliding scale: $40-60/hour, depending on what you can afford. Semi-privates are $25-30/person for two people. If you can only do a group class, please let me know what your best times are, and we may organize one. Classes are positive, playful and professional. Can’t wait to drum with you!
Workshop Description
Joselyn teaches drumming and movement workshops based on the West African traditions of Ghana, Guinea, and Senegal, and the Afro-Cuban traditions of Cuba. Workshop participants learn the basic techniques and cultural history of the djembe, djun-djun, kpanlogo, conga, shekere, and bell, as well as each instrument’s place within traditional societies and their music. Students of all levels learn first through vocalized and hand clapped rhythms, songs, dance steps, and simple drum rhythms. Once a foundation is established in technique and timing, Joselyn teaches the complementary interlocking polyrhythms, which form the basis of each drum piece. After six to eight weeks, students can play these polyrhythms alone or with others, and will fully understand each piece.
Circle Celebrations
I also lead women's and group drum and dance circles for parties, ceremonies, and rites-of-passage events. Together we can design the experience that you envision. Drawing on my experiences living and studying in West Africa as well as my own musical journey, I have led drum & dance circles and classes at centers around the country, continuing my circle of Celebration! Rhythm is always with you, but why not dance it out into being? Give your soul some sweetness to swing on!
Drum & Dance Bio
Joselyn has been teaching djembe & kpanlogo drumming & creative movement for ten years locally and nationally. She is the founder of ADAAWE, “seven women strong of the drum & voice”, who recently opened for James Brown, and tour nationally. Joselyn is a graduate of UCLA's World Arts & Cultures Program, and studied and lived at the University of Ghana and the Conservatoire Nacional in Dakar, Senegal. She is a percussionist, poet, vocalist, dancer, and events producer committed to deepening our personal experience of the sacred in our everyday lives.
Past Workshop And Residency Activities
Church of Ocean Park, Santa Monica, California
Elk Theatre, Prescott, Arizona
Grandstreet Theater & Myrna Loy Theatre, Helena, Montana
Inside Out Community Arts, Hess Kramer Camp, Malibu
Living Planet Drum Week, Santa Monica, California
Mountain Lion Folk Festival, Los Angeles, California
Ojai Foundation, Ojai, California
Smoky Hill River Festival, Salinas, Kansas
Sun Valley Arts Festival, Sun Valley, Idaho
“Women Who Run With the Wolves”, Topanga, California
Venice HEART Community Center, Venice, California
Artist Circle
Calabash Collaborations & Friends
ADAAWE
ADAAWE is six dynamic, diverse women creating rich organic music of the voice and drum, which comes from the heart and speaks to the soul!
"The top music story at this year's festival was undoubtedly Adaawe, an L.A.-based rhythm and vocals outfit that featured talented and diverse women. Oh, there were other anticipated performers (Mickey Hart) who dazzled the crowd, but Adaawe blew away its audiences with its mix of high-octane percussion, funk, Gospel-infused lyrics and pure joy. The women, a melting pot of talent…performed three times and became the talk of the festival.
- Alan Sheckter, Chico News & Review, 6th Annual California Worldfest
ADAAWE has performed locally and nationally at colleges, universities, performing arts venues, music festivals, and community events. They have opened for James Brown, Mickey Hart, Los Lobos, Yolanda Adams, Sugar Hill Gang, Michelle Shocked, Spearhead, James Ingram, Harry Belafonte and many others. Their celebratory concert appearances are not to be missed, and their informative school shows reach the next generation with humor, fun and musical understanding.
www.cdbaby.com/adaawe
Sister Celebration, “Women in Music, Dance and Spoken Word”
Past performances:
John Anson Ford Amphitheatre 2001 Season
Electric Lodge, Venice CA, 2000 Season
"Sister Celebration" is an uplifting evening of diverse women performers of many genres coming together in a collaborative music, dance, and poetry explosion, which leave the audience spellbound in the spirit of Celebration! Entertainment industry veterans join rising artists in a performance where R&B vocals flow seamlessly into West African drumming and modern dance. Ethereal Indian flutes are followed by hip-hop, and Brazilian samba segues into 21st century pop/rock.
The past line-up of performers includes: ADAAWE--A dynamic six-woman percussion/vocal group performing African based rhythms and tight contemporary vocals; Afia Walking Tree-A Jamacian-born African percussionist; Blaque Pearle - A spiritual sultry R&B/Soul vocalist (Beck, Cree Summer); Cee Cee Machaela - (BET, “Girlfriends”) A poetic organic soul vocalist; Witch Haizel - An amazing performer who integrates original dance and spiritual spoken word, Joselyn - A soulful vocalist who combines Funk, Folk, Blues and World rhythms with her poetic spiritual lyrics; Larisa Stow (L.A. Music Award's Singer/Songwriter of the Year, DVD released by DTS Entertainment). An acoustic set that has a pop-rock/world beat sound, Omo Axe - an uplifting traditional Afro-Cuban drum, dance, and song ensemble, Sita Kali Ma - A spiritual warrior performing Indian flutes and chants, and Swing Brazil-Traditional Brazilian Spiritual and Samba dance. African, Cuban, and Modern Dance. A poetic narrative by actress Karen Malina White ("Malcom & Eddie", "Fresh Prince") will tie together these diverse artistic threads, complemented with backdrops created by artist Marcia Jones. This night also honors several inspirational women, who have impacted humanity in education and the arts.
“Rhythms…An Evening of Music, Poetry & Art”
Expressions from CommYOUnity! Featured artists, open mic, and music/poetry jam. Presented four times yearly at the Venice Center for Peace & Justice with the Arts, 2210 Lincoln Blvd., in Venice, CA. Get ready for a special winter show on November 19, 2004! Co-sponsored by Calabash Productions and Inside Out Community Arts, benefiting after-school arts programming for at-risk youth.
www.insideoutca.org
Just Say Yes To Music & the Arts!
Music concert benefiting youth arts programs. Co-sponsored by Calabash Productions, Omar Torrez and Fender Guitars.
For Booking Contact: Calabash Productions, 310-967-4426
info@joselynwilkinson.com