This class is aimed to instruct dancers on the Art of Drumming , and drummers on the Art of Dancing. The drummers are in conversation with the dancers and the dancers in conversation with the drummers; they learn from each other. In Africa, to become a dancer you had to learn to be a drummer; if you are a drummer you had to learn to move. Movement and sound are connected to the spirit. The ancients understood these to be one: awakening the ears, eyes and muscles. This class is aimed at beginning and advanced students of music and dance; it is also open to anyone interested in understanding basic rhythms . All investigations will be through a West African lens, but application of this knowledge is not limited to traditional West African or African Arts, but also extends to contemporary contexts.