What We Do
* School Assemblies and Residencies
* Conferences and Workshops
* Dance and Drum Performances with Drum Sisters
* Programs for Businesses and Organizations
SCHOOLS Abigail and Annie offer educational interactive workshops, assembly performances and longer term residencies for students in pre-school through college. Through stories, dance and West African drumming, students learn about African culture, the African diaspora, and how these art forms bring us together with joy and energy, affirm our common humanity, and connect us to life's creative pulse.
Recent School Programs Include:
Moses Brown School workshop for fourth graders
Woonsocket Headstart 10-week art residency for preschoolers
The Wolf School 8-week art residency for elementary students
St John the Divine Cathedral School, New York City workshop for first graders
Brown University Medical School Medical Residents' retreat
Narragansett Middle School program for graduating eigth graders
CONFERENCES and WORKSHOPS Appearing in numerous conference settings, Annie and Abigail offer an experiential and enlivening presentation with drumming, dancing and stories for adults at health conferences, arts conferences, spirituality conferences, and other gatherings.
Recent Conference Appearances Include:
Massachussetts Public Health Nurses annual conference
Brown University Conference on Spirituality and Health
Women and Infants Hospital Women's Health Care conference
Salve Regina University Holistic Counseling Conference with Larry Dossey, MD
Hasbro Children's Hospital International Conference on Arts and Healing
DRUM SISTERS is a larger performance group led by Annie, with Abigail, Mary Cimini, Nisha Purushotham and Diana Young. Drum Sisters offers compelling drum and dance performances that include rhythms from Africa, the Carribean, and the Middle East. They have appeared at multi-cultural festivals, women's gatherings, conferences, and other events, and have been featured in The Providence Journal. Their first CD recording is due next year.
Recent Apperances include:
University of Rhode Island Celebration for Women of Color
Leadership Rhode Island Arts Day
YMCA Womens Wellness Weekend
Johnson & Wales University Multicultural Festival
BUSINESSES and ORGANIZATIONS With business consultant Mary Cimini, (see below) Abigail and Annie facilitate experiential drumming, dance and storytelling workshops for retreats addressing team-building, communication and other business and organizational needs.
Recent appearances include:
Rhode Island Youth Pride staff retreat
Stevens Home Residence for Adolescents staff retreat
AIDS Project Rhode Island staff retreat
Mary Cimini is the principal of her own training and consulting firm, Lighthouse Learning. Business consultant, executive coach, educator and drummer, her expertise includes Management and Leadership Development, Customer Service, Performance and Change, and Teams and Teamwork. She holds an M.A. in Adult Education and Masters degree in Social Work.