LATE SUMMER & FALL 2010 ONGOING EVENTS: "Drumming as Our Medicine allows us to Transform Our Planetary Consciousness"~AWT

August 28th: Sistahs Steppin' in Pride: East Bay Dyke March and Festival: Carolyn Brandy and Sistaboom will lead the march at 12pm and Afia Walking Tree and Spirit Drumz will open the festival at 1pm! See details at: SistahsSteppin' and visit us on facebook at: SistahsSteppin' Fanpage

September 3-6: (Afia will offer intensive classes as well as her drumming for ceremonies throughout the weekend): Women's Herbal Symposium of Northern California! PlantWomen Gather! womensherbalsymposium.org

September 12: Women Drummers International Drum Sunday featuring Drum Maestra and WDI Founder Carolyn Brandy 1 to 3 pm at The Conscious Collective 4148 Mac Arthur Blvd. Oakland, CA 94619 Cost: Sliding scale $10 -$25 Children under 12* free (no one turned away for lack of funds). This is a once per month event. See more details for upcoming teachers at Women Drummers International

ONGOING CLASSES AND EVENTS

EVERY 2nd and 4th TUESDAY, starting August 31st: Sebastopol Drum Our Souls Free Community Classes
Then on: Sept 14, 28; Oct 12, 26; Nov 9, 30; Dec 7, 21 (full moon Solstice) All Levels especially beginners mind welcome, All drum styles welcome, bring your drum or use ours, bring a sacred item for our community altar!

Experience Fun Drum Play, Belly Laughter, and Contextualization as you find and hone your rhythmic voice; explore and excavate the impacts we are living on our planet now; Celebrate our gratitude together; Learn basic African Diasporic drum and percussion techniques for beginners and more advanced techniques for intermediate players; Explore rhythmic freedom with djembes, congas, dununs, bells, shekeres, voice, stories, and movement.
"Afia synthesizes the drum from the inside out as medicine for healing our wounded souls and is able to share it so openly and generously with us." Everyone will feast in this rhythmically exciting offering! Now that I am living in Sebastopol, I am thrilled offer drumming with this community again!
Time: 7 to 9 pm; $15-20 sliding scale (no one turned away for lack of funds, exchange/trade, and payment plans available)
Location: The dhyana Center - 7740 Atkinson Road, Sebastopol, CA dhyanacenter.com
Limited to 20 so, hold your space by registering now: Email Afia at: spiritdrumz@me.com or Call (510) 534-9603

THURSDAYS: Come dance with us in Sebastopol to live drumming at Kris Freewoman's Dance Class at the Sebastopol Youth Annex from 7 - 8:30pm. Live drum jam at the end of class. Drums available. We are rocking and grooving and would love to see you there! $12-15 sliding scale! krisfreewoman.com

SATURDAYS: Starting September 11th, until December 2010
DRUM CLASS 12:15 to 1:15pm & DANCE CLASS 1:30 to 3:00pm

Join our COMMUNITY DRUM AND DANCE CLASSES and move with us to Ancient Ecstatic West African Rhythms in a 3-hour drum and dance experience where you choose to drum, dance, sing, celebrate, lots of laughter and BE-ing! Drumming led by Afia Walking Tree & Dancing led by Ava Square-LeVias

We welcome women, children, youth, transgender, families, and male allies at ALL LEVELS of drum and dance who respect this LIVE women-centered drum and dance community space. Bring your djembe, djun djuns, congas, ashikos, dumbeks, shekeres, bells (or use ours), and an offering for the community alter (flowers, candles, incense, fruits always welcome). Dancers bring a lapa, sarong or light-weight work-out clothing.

LOCATION: Ellen Web Studios 2822 A Union Street (In West Oakland, off Peralta). See where we are, it's a gorgeous private garden setting that is relaxing and our for 3 hours every Saturday rain or shine! Except for Thanksgiving weekend. www.ellenwebbstudio.com

TUITION: $15 per class or take both classes for $25! Children under 12 and elders over 75 join us for free. Drum Maestras join us whenever you are available! We would love to have you. Ask about our dance/drum combo package for more savings! No one turned away for lack of funds. Partial scholarships are available!
For more info and registration details see our facebook fanpage: West African Dance and Drumming or please contact Ava at SpiritTheatreofDance@hotmail.com or 510 685-7473

MORE UPCOMING EVENTS:
Sept 9-12: Z Budapest Goddess Festival in La Honda, CA. Larissa Montfort, Afia's Apprentice of 13 years will offer an intensive class drum for ceremonies throughout the weekendhttp://goddessfestival.zbudapest.com/

September 17-20: Afia visits Cleveland. Email with any contacts or if you are interested in hosting an event while Afia is in town.

October 1-3: SF World Percussion Arts Festival. Stay tuned for more info soon to come.

October 15 - 17: Afia visits Portland and plays with Virginia Lopez Cuban Band Melao on Friday night! Classes on Saturday and Sunday; Privates and Semi-Privates! House Concert featuring new songs by Afia. Email with contact or if you are interested in hosting an event.

HOLD THESE DATES ON YOUR CALENDAR for 2011
June 9 - 12; 2011: Ontario Womens Drum Camp, Ontario Canada Register Now at Drumcamps.ca

Thursday, June 30: Women Drummers International: Drum Masestras Concert, Location to be announced Women Drummers International

July 1 - 4: Women Drummers International Annual Born to Drum Camp in Petaluma, CA! Register now for this world-class women's drum and dance camp at Women Drummers International

DRUMMING INTENSIVE OFFERING JUST FOR YOU and a FEW!

PRIVATE, SEMI PRIVATE and SMALL GROUP Coaching Sessions and Courses!

Privates (1 person): Individual drumming instruction offers fertile ground for letting go fears and anxiety of playing with others in public. Practice specific technique that builds confidence and stamina while fine-tuning timing, precision, and multi-drum instrumentation.

Semi-Privates (2-4 people) & Small Groups (5-6 people): Designed to enhance your connection and communication with the drums and explore understanding of polyrhythms. Fine-tune dynamic musical collaboration through deep and meaningful rhythmic conversations.

RATES: Individual Private: $55/hr Semi-Private (2-4 people): $35/hr/person Small Group (5-6 people): $30/hr/person

Appointments must be made in blocks of 6 sessions and run on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, unless this is a one-time workshop, which would run between 2 to 4 hrs. Payment must be arranged at the beginning of the sessions and can be paid in full or at the start of each session. There will be an additional $5 - 25 depending upon the distance to cover travel expenses if classes are your home. Sessions begin promptly and are scheduled for 60 minutes. Appointments are available Monday through Saturday at a mutually agreed upon time at your home.

Pay in Full for 6 Private Sessions $330, plus $16.50 paypal service fee = $346.50 in total

Pay in Full for 6 SemiPrivate Sessions $210, plus $10.50 paypal service fee = $220.50 in total

Pay in Full for 6 Small Group Sessions $180, plus $9 paypal service fee = $189 in total for one person in a small group

NEED TO PAY BY CHECK OR MONEY ORDER?:
Write check to: Afia Walking Tree Send check to: L.Grossman 4744 El Centro Avenue, Oakland, CA 94602. Please write your name, email, city, state, phone number and the course you are registering for. Let us know if you need a drum.

SOME BASICS TO BRING TO AFIA'S COURSES
1. Bring your drum or use ours
2. Journal & Pen
3. Sacred altar item that you will focus your intentions into each week
4. Candle (2 to 4 hr votives are best) for each week to set your intention for the week
5. Your curiosity and passion to explore with radical truth and acceptance of where you are in any given moment and your open communication.

Send me an Email for more information about my offerings and availability: Spiritdrumz@me.com with questions you have about classes, performances, workshops, or keynote addresses. ~Lets drum and heal together! See you soon!