Monday, December 6, 2010

drumming class was..

i went to drumming class last Wednesday night.  it appeared on the website that i had two choices...7pm or 8pm.  I decided at the last minute to go to the 7pm since neither Jamie nor i went to yoga at 5.  But I nearly missed class because when i finally found the Seattle Drum School down in Georgetown, i thought to  myself...great there it is, now I'll just swing around back and park there.  ha!  by swinging around back, i landed myself right on the on ramp to I-5!  and i chose I-5 south...wow, i had to drive like 5 miles south before i could turn around and wind my way back to Georgetown.  and I was already running late.  aren't those moments great, when you feel all that tension and anger rising and you get to tell yourself...hey, it's just drum class.  it's just life, shit happens...let it go.  and there's this point where it feel uncomfortable to not be angry, where i feel like if i stay angry then that show how much i wanted to be there on time.  that i feel bad about being late.  as if feeling bad is a free ticket out of "hey, you suck, cause my drum class is real important and you must not think so cause you are late" jail.  well...anyway, these are the things i think about. (which need i say it?  yes, yoga has totally helped those transitional moments from anger to peace quicker and less messy.  which can, i emphasize can...like possibly but not always, come in handy being a mom of three)  ...but back to drum class.

turns out after i let go of my anger and frustration, i made it to class and they were starting late.  so i missed nothing.  and this place that was all hard core and perfection made true through a drum school in my mind, was instead totally laid back.  i had to hunt someone down to pay at the end!  everything was cool.

it was me and three other people, guys...but one was a kid.  and our teacher.  Arturo Rodriguez.  he was great, very patient (needed with me) and clear.  we started by using shakers and keeping a simple beat with two in our hands.  then we added feet rhythms and then voice.  wow.  after that we clapped a beat...and followed suit like with the shakers.  adding more and more rhythms on top.  wow again.  i totally sucked at this part.  i could barely keep the clapping straight.  we did this "together" (hand and one foot), "hand", "foot", "hand."  thing...and we did it over and over and over.  and seriously i almost fell over at one point.  let alone adding singing to it!  i was feeling a little defeated at this point.  not like i wanted to quit, but just that i knew i had a lot of work to do.

then we got to use the drums.  which turned out to be a lot easier.  and it felt great.  we did two different styles of rhythms.  one Puerto Rican and one Cuban...i forget the names now.  maybe the Cuban one was Bembe...yea, that was it.  we learned the beats and the call and then got to take turns improvising within the rhythm that the other were keeping.  it was fun, i was shaking...either from nerves or from my legs getting tired from holding the drum so tight.  or maybe it was from the spirit of the drums...totally, maybe it wasn't about the hallucinogenics in my hippy days :)  it was pure drumming energy.

i am looking forward to heading back this week...and anyone can start at any time...so my offer still stand, anyone wanna join me?

xoxo melissa

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