DAC Programs

Samba Youth

Current Program: Samba Westview, Westview Centennial Secondary School - Wednesdays after school

Coming Soon: Samba Regent Park, 246 Sackville Street, Common Room - Mondays 5:15-6:00pm - March 5-May 21

Samba Youth builds on the existing strengths of young people who are interested in drumming, arts and music as a way to improve self-esteem, acquire leadership skills, learn team-building and group responsibility, and conflict-resolution skills. Samba Youth is both an arts education program and a leadership program, providing a safe and comfortable environment where youth can begin taking on responsibilities and acting as role models to their peers. Youth are recognized for their accomplishments in the program, and discover what types of tasks they most enjoy doing, including teaching music, song or dance, planning activities or performances, designing costumes, working with young children, etc... DAC staff also teach drumming to youth through workshops. Drum Artz staff and members of Samba Squad have been teaching inner city youth drumming workshops on a yearly basis through an initiative run by University of Toronto medical students. See our recent performance at Wilfrid Laurier University in Brantford. Please contact info@drumartz.com to receive up-to-date information about our program start dates and other details.

Beginner Steel Pan for Adults

Learn to play the steel drums with the guidance of “Princess of Pan” Joy Lapps. To register and find out about upcoming sessions  call Joy at 289.314.0527 or email joy@steelpanexperience.com. Students will train on soprano, alto, tenor or bass drums and will learn to play major scales, triads and 1 - 2 songs.  Songs are taught using a combination of rote, letters and notation and can therefore be adapted to any participant regardless of musical background.  This program is a great stepping stone for any individual wishing to join a steel band.

Samba Famz

Samba Famz is a complete family experience in music and art intended for caregivers and young children (ages 3 and up) to work together in a creative process. Families learn to play percussion and do art projects together with their children. Various stations are set up and the families rotate from one activity to the next, always moving to the rhythm of music that they create. This family experience is a unique and fun way for families to spend time together and meet other families, while developing artistic abilities and engaging in a creative process. Please contact info@drumartz.com to receive up-to-date information about our program start dates and other details.

Summer Camp

Steel Pan Experience/Samba Kidz - AJAX
The Steel Pan Experience (SPE) is working in partnership with Drum Artz Canada, to bring Samba Kidz to Ajax. Lead by pan virtuoso, Joy Lapps, and a team of friendly and well-trained staff, this summer program has a special focus on steel pan performance as well as Samba drumming, stilt-walking, visual arts and photography. Join us this summer from August 8-19, 2011 as we expand to give children and youth an exciting and challenging music and arts experience while building their self-esteem, teamwork, and interpersonal skills.  To register please email us at info@drumartz.com or call 416.538.6342.

The Samba Kidz and Youth Summer 2011 Program July 4, 2011 – August 5, 2011 Monday - Friday, 9am-4:30pm For more information about Samba Kidz and to download registration forms, click here.

Leaders in Training

The Samba Kidz and Youth Summer program includes a youth leadership component, which develops the skills of the older members through special projects and responsibilities. The youth leaders participate in curriculum related to critical thinking, communication building, conflict resolution, consensus-based decision-making and reflection of their lived experiences. They are given the opportunity to lead activities and mentor the younger members. The youth leadership program demands focus, empathy, creativity and accountability from its participants. While they have the support of DAC staff, youth who have taken on leadership positions have implicitly learned that leadership is a form of self-expression in and of itself, wherein they have had to generate and apply ideas that have sometimes failed and many other times succeeded. The hands on learning opportunities that DAC offers not only prepare our young leaders with tools to think laterally and creatively, but also to apply their ideas to real life situations. For more information about our Leaders In Training programs click here, or contact info@drumartz.com.