We arrive at the conference venue a while before the show,
everything looks neat and beautifully laid out. To the surprise
of security, we start unloading drum after drum and by the time
we get to 50, somebody asks “Who is going to play all those
drums? “We say “200 accountants”.
We unpack the 200 drums and form a circle of chairs. The delegates
are completely unaware that they are about to drum and are by
now beginning to arrive at the venue for their annual conference
that begins in 1 hour.
We set up the team and as everyone has gathered outside the room
we begin playing and they hear the drums calling from inside the
conference room. When people walk in, they cannot believe their
eyes when they find 200 drums laid out on the seats, and this
amazing drumming music filling the room, being played by our team.
Slowly, people find their way to their seats, all staring at each
other with smiles on their faces, not knowing really how to deal
with the drum that is now in their lap.
Tentatively, a few brave individuals start banging away; one even
gets carried away with the energy in the room and jumps into the
middle of the circle for a quick dance to the wild applause of
his peers.
Then , without saying a word, our facilitator gets up and starts
to orchestrate the group with a massive repertoire of body language
signals , bringing the 200 entry level musicians into perfect
harmony.
200 people, not one word spoken and there they are working in
perfect unity and synchronization. Over the period of an hour,
we guide the participants in a non threatening way through a structured
program designed to meet the specific needs of the group keeping
the circle “humming’ and the participants engaged.
We introduce percussion instruments, sometimes fire jugglers,
dancers and didgeridoo players. After 60 - 80 minutes of rhythmic
group interaction we leave the group to get on with their speeches
and conferencing, in a truly good mood, exhilarated by the connection
of working and having created music together.
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