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Southeast
Florida Drum Circle Newsletter
PALM BEACH COUNTY - SPECIAL EDITION
Published Friday, 29 August 2008
Offered to you by the Southeast Florida Drum Circle Community
Michael Dean Goodman, Coordinator, 561-350-3930
SoutheastFloridaDrumCircleCommunity-owner@yahoogroups.com
This newsletter now reaches about 3000 people!
VISIT OUR YAHOO GROUP WEB PAGE
http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/SoutheastFloridaDrumCircleCommunity
Free twice-monthly SE Florida Drum Circle Newsletter via e-mail
Lists of drumming & dancing teachers and vendors
Educational & inspirational materials about drumming & dancing
Links to other drumming/dancing resources on the web
Photos from many drum circles in our local area
TOMORROW - SATURDAY, AUGUST 30TH - WEST PALM BEACH
PALM BEACH COUNTY - SPECIAL EDITION
Published Friday, 29 August 2008
Offered to you by the Southeast Florida Drum Circle Community
Michael Dean Goodman, Coordinator, 561-350-3930
SoutheastFloridaDrumCircleCommunity-owner@yahoogroups.com
This newsletter now reaches about 3000 people!
VISIT OUR YAHOO GROUP WEB PAGE
http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/SoutheastFloridaDrumCircleCommunity
Free twice-monthly SE Florida Drum Circle Newsletter via e-mail
Lists of drumming & dancing teachers and vendors
Educational & inspirational materials about drumming & dancing
Links to other drumming/dancing resources on the web
Photos from many drum circles in our local area
TOMORROW - SATURDAY, AUGUST 30TH - WEST PALM BEACH
Bonfire Tribal Drum Circle and Party
Held on the last Saturday of every month, 8pm-1am, free
Michael Dean Goodman & PremShakti warmly invite you to join us for the monthly gather-
ing of our 'conscious tribe' - an incredible mix of 100+ folks on many divers paths, who are
all exploring and unfolding the full potential of life.
5 Great Events Rolled Into One!
(1) BONFIRE TRIBAL DRUMMING & DANCING CIRCLE
Outside - around the fire circle
Drum lesson: 8:30-9:00pm
Drum circle: 9pm-12midnight
• IN CASE OF RAIN - the drumming is moved indoors!
• DRUM JAM: GREAT LIVE RHYTHMS - African, Latin, Middle-Eastern, Native American,
World, Tribal...
• RADIANT DANCERS - bellydancers, free-form dancers, contact dancers, trance-dancers,
etc. - a loving, appreciative atmosphere - let the rhythms move you!
• PERFORMERS - fire-spinners, poi-twirlers, fire-breathers - all are welcome!
• CELESTIAL CIRCLE - see 3000 lights twinkling in the trees, in a circle-of-light around us
• BRING - Something to sit on for the drum circle (beach chair, stool, blanket, etc.)
• DRUM CIRCLE GUIDELINES - please see the list at the end of this announcement
Note: during the hottest summer months, we use beautiful candles rather than lighting the
bonfire, at the request of the dancers and drummers.
(2) HOUSE PARTY & POTLUCK FEAST
Inside the house: 8pm-1am
• POTLUCK FEAST - bring something to share (main dish, dessert, beverage) if you want
to partake
• GREAT CONVERSATION - networking/satsang with conscious people
• SING-ALONG at the piano - oldies, folk, Broadway, rock, spiritual, etc.
• MUSICAL PERFORMANCES - bring your instrument and/or voice and entertain
• PERSONAL READINGS - God/Goddess cards, tarot cards, etc. - readers welcome
• MASSAGE & HEALING ENERGY EXCHANGES on our massage table
(3) KIRTAN
In the workshop room (west end of house): 8-9pm
(before the throb of the drum circle begins)
• KIRTAN - spiritual chanting, plus poetry from the mystics
PremShakti on vocals and harmonium, other dear friends on vocals, sitar, tabla, flute,
guitar, or singing bowls, etc.
Sing along, drum, dance, meditate, or just enjoy this delight for the ears and the heart!
(4) PARTNER DANCE
In the workshop room: 9pm-12midnight
While the drum circle goes on outside
• PARTNER DANCING - on our wood dance floor (Latin, ballroom, swing, disco, tango)
• GREAT DJ'd MUSIC (BOTH HOT & COOL) - music that won't let you stay seated
• MINI-LESSONS to help you find your groove
(5) BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
In the workshop room: 12midnight-1am
Our newest addition - when the outdoor drum circle ends
• BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION - for anyone whose birthday falls near our party
• FULFILLMENT OF DESIRES - let us design a birthday ceremony for you, or design your
own (wishes, performances, touch, singing, dancing, drumming...)
Please bring cake & candles if you'd like to include them.
INFO
Michael 561-350-3930, tantra@...
HELD AT
The home of Michael Dean Goodman and PremShakti
4855 Belvedere Rd., Haverhill (West Palm Beach) FL 33415
Just west of the Palm Beach Airport, 2 blocks west of Military Tr., on the NE Corner of
Belvedere Rd. & Park Ln.
DIRECTIONS
1. From I-95, exit at Belvedere Rd.
2. At the end of the exit ramp, turn left onto Belvedere Rd. westbound
3. Pass the airport on the left, round the big 'S' curve
4. Pass Military Trail (stoplight, Walgreens, KFC)
5. At the 2nd street past Military Tr. (Park Ln.) turn right - 1 block before Haverhill
6. Our house is on the NE corner of Belvedere Rd. & Park Ln. ('4855' on the mailbox).
PARKING
1. The 1st 20 cars to arrive should park in our front & back yards (on the grass).
Please do not park on our driveway - leave that free for people to get on and off the grass.
2. After that, please park only on the east (right) side of Park Ln. - NOT blocking any drive-
way (look carefully). Drop off heavy objects (drums, food, etc.) first & then park.
3. Once cars are parked a full block down Park Ln., park on the next street to the east.
Park on the (left) west side of that street, on the grassy shoulder next to the street.
You'll have a shorter walk than parking far down Park Ln., and your car will be safer
(closer to a busy street, better lit).
4. Of course, when parking anywhere, be smart - don't leave valuables sitting in plain view -
hide them.
5. Please don't pull into any neighbors' driveways or yards to turn around, especially late at
night when leaving. The activity, and bright lights, disturb and frighten them, and they
complain to the City. To exit our neighborhood, you don't have to turn around on Park Ln.
Just continue north and there's a street 2 blocks down going left (west) to Haverhill Rd.
DRUM CIRCLE GUIDELINES - FOR EVERYONE'S MAXIMUM ENJOYMENT NEW!
This is a community drum circle - and we (the hosts) mostly remain unseen and trust the
collective consciousness of the group. But some recent behavior - rudeness and disre-
spect of our leadership and traditions, drummers who showboat and create division in the
circle, blatant alcohol/drug use among a few drummers, etc. - have caused people to speak
up and ask us to give some leadership and direction to the event. So we've written down
these guidelines to make the evening more enjoyable for the great majority. 95% of us
who attend this circle already follow these natural courtesies spontaneously; but we're pub-
lishing these guidelines to make clear our intentions for this drum circle, and to nip any de-
veloping problems in the bud. Each point is based on actual experiences that we've had at
drum circles over the years, and on the lessons that we've learned from those experiences:
(a) Big drum circles don't work so well if drummers are noticeably chemically altered (alco-
hol/drugs); please don't arrive in, or transform into, that state if you are actively drum-
ming. Altered awareness makes social judgment poor (we miss or misinterpret social
cues about the responses of others to our behavior/drumming), makes it difficult to pay
attention to the rhythms and energies of others (making it hard to play well with the group),
and alters one's sense of time (rhythm).
(b) It works best if all the drummers stand or sit near each other (not way across the big cir-
cle, or outside the circle), if we really listen to each other, & if we avoid forming separate
'sub-circles' or cliques inside or outside of the main circle.
(c) When a group rhythm ends, let it end! Please allow there to be some silence, and see
what new rhythm emerges out of that silence.
(d) Please - no drum cowboys - no showboating; make group coherence more important
than individual fulfillment. Make it a group jam session, a 'drum conversation' among
the whole group, not a 'personal performance' by a few. No matter how great a drum-
mer you are, this drum circle is not an invitation for you to take over, show off, or have
an attitude that the rest of us are lucky just to be able to drum along with you (if we can).
If showboating is your idea of a fun evening of drumming, then this is not the right drum
circle for you.
(e) Please allow a variety of rhythms, speeds, & loudnesses through the night; slow sen-
sual rhythms, with lots of 'empty space', are just as beautiful as hard, fast, loud stuff.
Many of our beautiful dancers are requesting more slow, sensuous rhythms; let's honor
the goddesses! These slow rhythms - with 'empty space' - take more musical skill to
maintain. If you are not comfortable with these rhythms, or the kind of energy they re-
flect, please don't 'hijack' the rhythm and turn it into something fast, busy, and loud. In-
stead, please back off and just follow the group, or take a break from drumming. If only
fast, driving, packed rhythms are your idea of a fun evening of drumming, then this is
not the right drum circle for you.
(f) Please only play big, bass drums (or cowbells and other 'penetrating' instruments) loud-
ly if you can play ON the beat, not drag the tempo, can be sensitive to when to speed
us up or slow us down, and can physically maintain the beat you start for that whole num-
ber. Big drums lead the circle, and require skill, sensitivity/alertness, & persevering phy-
sical strength to play well.
(g) There will be community announcements at least twice during the evening, lasting for
around 5 minutes each time, during gaps between drum rhythms. When your hosts
ask for your attention, please cooperate by stopping your drumming and talking, so that
we can respectfully listen to each other. Anyone is welcome to make announcements
relating to drumming & dancing, or relating to events promoting personal growth. If
someone is announcing something on a topic that is of no interest to you, please be po-
lite - don't interrupt, don't make noise, don't hassle the speaker.
(h) In order for us to maintain good relations with our neighbors, and the City, and thus to
continue to host these parties, we have promised them that we'll stop all drumming by
midnight. Please don't exceed that limit, even by a few minutes. If we (your hosts) are
not participating in the drum circle at midnight, please take responsibility for lovingly but
firmly reminding everyone to stop.
(i) This event happens rain or shine; in case of rain, we drum/dance inside, in the big meet-
ing room at the west end of the house.
(j) Dancers of all styles and experience levels are warmly invited to improvise to the drum-
ming and even to request or start particular rhythms. Dancers: please remember that
it's much more inspiring for the drummers if you sometimes look at and interact with
them.
(k) Non-percussion instruments and vocals are welcome (we've had didjeradoos, violins,
flutes, guitars, singing bowls, saxophones, melodicas, etc.), as long as you understand
that they are to accompany the drummers. You must complement the drum rhythms,
not attempt to lead, dominate, solo, etc. That is trickier than it might appear, and re-
quires soft, sensitive, cooperative, skillful playing or singing/chanting.
(l) The space inside the circle of drummers is reserved for dancers and for drummers to
walk about unimpeded. Both for everyone's safety, and to respect the dancers/drum-
mers, please don't sit inside the circle, and don't put blankets, belongings, or sitting
children inside the circle.
(m) Please step well outside the big circle of drummers to socialize/talk. Discussions held
inside the circle block the line of sight, discourage dancing, and make it harder for the
drummers to focus on the sounds of the other drummers.
These common-sense guidelines will make the evening more fulfilling for the great majority.
If these guidelines, and the community attitude and values that they represent, don't match
your idea of a fun drum evening, we respectfully ask that you please don't attend this event.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve the drumming/dancing community through
this newsletter. Constructive, respectful feedback is always welcome.
Namaste,
Michael
Publisher: Southeast Florida Drum Circle Newsletter
SoutheastFloridaDrumCircleCommunity-owner@yahoogroups.com
561-350-3930
Dr. Michael Dean Goodman
The PremYoga Center, Co-Director (http://www.PremYoga.com)
PARA - The Center for Realization, Director
The Relationship Institute, Director
Boca Raton and West Palm Beach Florida
561-350-3930 • tantra@...
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