Jana Broder’s seven-year-old Drum Magic business is the product of two key moments. On a cold hard working Christmas Day, Atlanta native Broder realized that twenty-years of managing the family catering business had come to an end. A short time later after a cross-country road trip, she enrolled in a drumming class in Berkeley California. It was during this class that she understood what she wanted to do for the rest of her life.

Business success for Broder is measured in numbers. At the end of the day she asks herself, has Drum Magic introduced more people to drumming? Most days, the answer is a resounding “yes.” Since 2001, Drum Magic has introduced people who have never tried drumming to its physical and mental health benefits. Among the many groups that have profited: corporations, social service agencies, schools and arts agencies. Broder’s drumming circles are also in demand at national festivals and local community events, non-profit fundraising events and private gatherings.

Broder is a certified drum circle facilitator with a passion to create fun, engaging and powerfully transformative drumming events accessible to everyone regardless of experience, physical abilities, age or talent.

Her love for drumming and desire to help others have led her to conduct sessions for the Arts Council of Hillsborough County, Department of Juvenile Justice, Department of Aging Services, Tampa Metro YMCA, Life Path Hospice, City of Tampa, Eckerd College, Bright House Networks and American Express Travel Services. Among those who have benefited have been incarcerated teens, school children, children of migrant farm workers, cancer survivors, and developmentally disabled adults.

Broder, who estimates that she is one of only a hundred drum circle facilitators nationwide, has been named Volunteer of the Year by Tampa Metro YMCA and Ambassador of the Year by the Brandon Chamber of Commerce. The Brandon Chamber also awarded Drum Magic the title of Small Business of the Year. Broder is an active member of the Tampa Bay community, serving on the Neighborhood Advisory Board.

When not teaching drumming, she is an avid sailor and scuba diver who can be found most Sundays sailing the warm waters of Tampa Bay on her beloved sailboat Moonshadow.

Heather DeRigo is a passionate and creative drummer who has been drumming for over 25 years and teaching for over 12. She is dedicated to helping others discover their dynamic creative potential and serving her community. She believes that Rhythm is innate in everyone – and that Drumming is not only a natural and joyful experience, but also a powerful tool for transformation.

Through her enthusiasm for group drumming and her strong desire to uplift and inspire others, she is a proud member of the Drum Magic Team and a member of the Drum Circle Facilitators Guild.

For more information on Heather DeRigo, please visit her website at www.hderigo.com.

As an active boy, Pierre trained in martial arts since a young age. Then as an adult black belt, he taught classes for a number of years. However, music had always been an important aspect of his life. His study of dance began at age 11 in New York where he also discovered a love for African drums. He danced for the Apollo Theater and also studied dance while attending college.

After 25 years of banging on whatever he could, he began African djembe lessons with Jana in 2005. His love of drumming and dance quickly brought him to the center of the drum circle where he could share his enthusiasm with all.

Jason has been playing music since childhood. Before focusing on hand drums he studied the piano, violin, and upright bass. When he was preparing for volunteer work in Zimbabwe 11 years ago he was first introduced to and overtaken by the djembe. It was in Africa where he was given the name Tawanda Moyo ne Matombo or “Tawa” for short.

Jason has been mentored in drum circle facilitation by Jana Broder (Drum Magic) and trained with Kalani (Drum Circle Music). Outside of percussion, Jason spent years in the traditional and online classroom teaching various social studies subjects. His classroom experience directly serves his drum circle participants and his desire to share the joy of music making provides an infectious environment of fun.

“Tawa” has worked with talented musicians and dancers from a variety of styles and traditions: African percussion masters, club DJs, rock and reggae bands. He has developed a style that blends with all styles while adding his ’special spice’.

Giving World Percussion’s philosophy on community music was formed in Africa while sitting on a tall stack of stones overlooking the valley, paths, shops, and dirt roads of Chakonda, a small township in Zimbabwe. You might be playing a musical instrument, toe tapping through your office, or guiding an oxcart; Everyday we are creating music. All it takes is a few moments with your ears open to the world around. Variations of tones, pitches, emotions, and paces make life sound interesting and enjoyable!

Website: www.givingworldpercussion.com

Dave is founder and primary performer and facilitator of all Beatin' Path programs and drum circles. Dave spreads the message of community, teamwork, diversity, and environmental awareness through rhythm based events. Dave leads regular drum circles at regional area schools, public housing communities, health fairs and festivals. Former clients include the Chattohoochee Valley Library's reading inititive program, Southeast Regional Hospice, Muscogee County School Administrators conference, Georgia's Early Childhood Educator's Conference, and the Southeast Regional Girl Scout Leadership convention. On stage, Dave is found in a number of musical settings, including world beat, jazz, orchestral and theatrical productions. Dave is the leading member of Ritmo Blu, a world percussion trio that performs at regional schools and festivals. Dave has traveled to Cuba, Africa, and Brazil to pursue his continuing education of the world's cultures and drumming traditions.

Dave has been a guest facilitator at the Percussive Arts Society's International Conference, the Georgia PAS Day of Percussion, is a graduate of the Village Music Circles Community Drum Facilitation Training, a Young Andiences, Woodruff Arts Center roster artist and a member of the Drum Circle Facilitator's Guild.

Website: www.beatinpathrhythmevents.com

Greg “Djembe G” Whitt combines a passion for percussion, formal studies in communication, and a background in leadership and service to offer rhythm events for team-building, education, and wellness.

Charles Barry Skeete was born in Queens, N.Y. and has been a music and percussion enthusiast since childhood. Barry has performed with the Fred Johnson Jazz Group at the Clearwater, FL Jazz Festival in 2000 & 2005, and opened for headliners such as Patti LaBelle, B.B. King, Boz Skaggs, Boney James and Rick Braun. As a duo, Barry and Fred provided the background music for readings by Deepak Chopra and Coleman Barks and have co-produced countless Sound Sculpture Improvisational Performances. Barry participated in the Art & Spirituality Festivals and Community Arts Ensemble held by the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and has provided percussion for many multi-national musical presentations. Barry completed Drum Circle Facilitator training with Arthur Hull/Village Music Circles™.

Barry is the owner of, “Drum With Me”  specializing in facilitating interactive drumming events at Nursing Centers, and Assisted Living Facilities, etc. Barry also hosts Fire and Drum Circles, and Drum Presentations for the City of Largo Parks and Recreation.

Barry is currently based in Largo, FL were he lives with his wife, Cathy, and a small flock of birds.

Website: http://www.drumwithme.com/ 

Christian Sun is a performing artist and educator in St. Augustine, Florida.  He has played djembe since he began Flagler College in “99.  His passion for culture and music has brought him to find the power rooted within the traditional sounds of West Africa and the Caribbean.  He studies extensively with masters of music from Guinea, Senegal, Kenya, and Jamaica. 

As founder of the The Vibe Hut, he imports professional drums and instruments from West Africa and offers tours to Guinea and Jamaica for cultural exchange and artist enhancement.  He is partnered with numerous West African artists working together on bridging the wisdom of African culture and music with our extended community.

While working as a Systems and Graphics Analyst from New Jersey, Mary was fortunate enough to be taken on as a protégé by a former Baba Olatunji student, playing the Shakere.  While playing with various Instructors and Musicians, it inspired her to travel internationally, pursuing music of different cultures.  While ‘percussion’ is her ‘passion’, she is attracted to all types of music.

Immediately after relocating to Florida, three years ago, she discovered Jana’s unique style of teaching and sharing ‘drumming’.  She’s been playing Shakere at Drum Magic’s venues, ever since.  Continuing to be a devotee of fine arts, including theater and dance, she continues to expand her musical skills with an assortment of instruments.  The Shakere still remains her favorite instrument

Amy Jackson is a native Atlantan and co-founder of Rhythm Synergy, who has been drumming since an early age.  Amy is passionate about drumming and her energy and enthusiasm is contagious.  Combined with her love of drumming and nursing career of 27 years, she facilitates not only drum circles geared towards health and wellness but also education, teambuilding, special needs, seniors, celebrations, graduations, and community drum circles.  Amy also teaches traditional West African music specifically designed for the beginner drummer.    

Amy’s mission is to share her love and passion for drumming/rhythm making with others, to help guide people from all walks of life to find their own inherent rhythms, to lessen stress, to have fun, and to help bridge gaps between cultures by teaching traditional West African music from Guinea.  

She has studied drum circle facilitating for health and wellness with the renowned Christine Stevens and neurologist Barry Bittman, M.D. of HealthRhythms, completed three workshops for drum circle facilitator training with renowned musician/facilitator, Kalani of DrumCircleMusic™ , and completed level I training with the father of drum circle facilitators and the drum circle movement, Arthur Hull Village MusicCircles ™. She has apprenticed with Jana Broder of DrumMagic™ and John Scalici of GetRhythm™.  She has been  a guest facilitation artist with Arthur Hull at drumStrong ™, and an invited guest facilitator with John Scalici, Jana Broder, and Dave Holland of Beatin' Path™ at other rhythm based events.
She perfoms with an all women’s percussion ensemble, ConunDrums, and a diverse group playing traditional West African music, Ten Blocks Away.

She has studied West African Music with master drummers Mamady Keita, founder of Tam Tam Mandingue, Famaoudou Konate, and Fode Camara all from Guinea, West Africa. She is currently a student studying traditional West African music with Bill Scheidt of Living Rhythms™, a professor of the international West African drumming school, Tam Tam Mandingue. She has studied the djembe with various renowned percussionists in the Atlanta area, Chuck Cogliandro, Aly Camara, Colleen Caffrey and Tom Harris. She is a member of the Drum Circle Facilitators Guild and the Percussive Arts Society.

Website: http://drummingatlanta.com/

Susan is passionate about sharing rhythm and drumming with people of all walks of life.  While exploring the field of drum circle facilitation she has mentored with Jana Broder (Drum Magic), John Scalici (Get Rhythm), Greg Whitt (Oak City Drums), and Matt Savage (Rhythm Alive).  She has also studied under Kalani (Drum Circle Music).

Her love of hand drumming intensified while learning traditional West African drumming from her Raleigh instructor, Ronnie Pulley (Drums on Fire and Rhythmicity performance group).  She soon after became a member of Rhythmicity and entered into a 2 year instructor training program with Bill Scheidt (Living Rhythms, Tam Tam Mandinque Winston Salem, NC) along with a small group of skilled and diverse hand drummers from around the region.   Bill is a professor of, and works closely with, Mamady Keita, world known master djembefola. 

Ronnie and Susan have since discovered the value and benefits of rhythm sharing and development in the community, and have facilitated interactive events for companies like United Way, Hospice, North Hills, INC. as well as fun community events, and for people in need.  Susan is a member of the Drum Circle Facilitators Guild and continues to develop ways to serve her community through beneficial and fun rhythm events.

Website: http://www.orbitalrhythms.com/

Blake has loved photography since childhood and decided to turn it into a business during his skydiving career. He has been published in Parachutist magazine many times as well as being chosen for the cover of the 60th anniversary addition. He has also worked for large martial arts companies in Houston, Texas where his work is used on billboards in and around the Houston area. His work ranges from sports photography to capturing the beauty of natural abstracts.

He recently made the move to Tampa Florida to finish his degree at the University of South Florida and expand his photography business. His business has grown to include event photography and he has found his passion working with the Drum Magic team capturing priceless moments to last a lifetime."