Afro-Cuban Drum, Dance, and Song Camp the Summer! - Registration

[rahalak]

The plus for being in the dorms is getting fed three meals a day that you don't have to cook, visit with all the others staying on campus, and the food's not bad.

Speaking of the food, did they have vegetarian options?
Chris

[windhorse]

Yep, they do..

and the salad counter always good fresh veggies..

So, are you going or what?
???


:;):

[davidpenalosa]

Hi Folks,
I’ve taught at all nine previous workshops. There are five levels of percussion instruction and three levels of dance instruction! You can take any combination of drum and dance classes. The parties are great. You’ll experience some fantastic rumba.

-David

[windhorse]

David,
Looks like you're teaching mostly level 3 this year.. I've been looking over the daily schedule that just was added to the website.
I am probably going to end up in level 3, and might shoot for level 4 just for grins, though I'm sure there's much yet to learn with the Salidor, Tres Dos, not to mention clave and palitos in Guaguanco.. Though level 4 says (quinto), would we still be learning some quinto techniques and rides in the 3s? If so, there's probably no reason to go to four if I would just get "beaten up"..



You taught us polyrhythms last year in level 2, and I fully enjoyed it! One of the other participants had lost the paper work you had made for us, and I digitized and sent it to her via e-mail attachment a while back.

Thanks for doing what you do!

Colorado Dave

[davidpenalosa]

Dave:
>>Looks like you're teaching mostly level 3 this year.. .. would we still be learning some quinto techniques and rides in the 3s?

Hi Dave,
Yes, I show some variations of the quinto "lock mode". I always include quinto in my guaguanco lessons. It’s part of my "mission" to dispel the misconception that quinto is just a jamming drum with no structure. Of course the complexity and flexibility of quinto mask the logic of its structure. I taught quinto at Level 4 and 5 for six years. I’ve noticed that a lot of people that took even Level 4 could not tap their foot to the main beats while playing. I convinced the Director Howard Kaufman to offer more instruction in the fundamentals during the workshop. He agreed and gave me the job. We want to make sure everyone has the proper tools to really internalize the material.

Dave:
>>You taught us polyrhythms last year in level 2, and I fully enjoyed it! One of the other participants had lost the paper work you had made for us, and I digitized and sent it to her via e-mail attachment a while back.
Thanks for doing what you do!

Me:
Thank you sir, it’s my job. Were you able to work through all the cross-rhythmic exercises?

-David

[windhorse]

I’ve noticed that a lot of people that took even Level 4 could not tap their foot to the main beats while playing


Were you able to work through all the cross-rhythmic exercises?

-David

Yes, I've gone through all of the exercises,, and one of the things which gives me the hardest time are the Comparsa upbeats on the last page.. It may be that since foot tapping is one of the most difficult things for me to do in your polyrhythm exercises, it makes sense upbeats on the drum are so difficult. Perhaps I need the lock of a steady foot tap. Of course upbeats on the bell are a piece of cake since you can just tap your other finger.

Something about the foot adds that new level of consciousness or complexity..
I have been practicing clave with a foot pedal and playing quaguanco,, and have practiced enough that it's easy..
But, that is due to lots of time piecing together each move to get the body consciousness, rather than having a steady unconscious foot tap.

[davidpenalosa]

Windhorse:
....one of the things which gives me the hardest time are the Comparsa upbeats on the last page.. It may be that since foot tapping is one of the most difficult things for me to do in your polyrhythm exercises, it makes sense upbeats on the drum are so difficult. Perhaps I need the lock of a steady foot tap.

me:
Your level of comfort with the salidor part will increase in direct proportion to your ability to tap your foot to it. Start slow and work up to the faster tempos. The irony is that once you can easliy tap your foot, you won't have to any more. One effective practice technique is to walk while "playing" the part against your body. Take a walk around the block while doing this. I think you will be impressed how effective that is. When we walk, we have a natural "metronome" going on. Walking seems to really cement off-beat and cross-beat exercises. Most of the challenging aspects of drumming can be understood in terms off-beats and cross-beats. It's good to hear that you worked your way through the entire pamphlet.

-David