About Us

Dancing Drum’s mission is to EDUCATE, ENTERTAIN, and INSPIRE people of all ages through interactive, percussion-based programming and materials. We provide a complete drum program package for schools and other educational venues, including drum packages, in-school programs, professional development workshops, web-based resources and print publications.

Since our founding in 2002, we have aimed to set a national standard for innovative, integrated arts education for schools. Dancing Drum’s approach is inclusive, positive, musical, and fun! Drums are perceived as “cool” by the great majority of K-8 students, and they offer schools a great opportunity for engaging students, often even the most difficult to reach kids. 

Our original methods and materials have been developed over 20+ years of work in a wide variety of classroom, workshop, and performance settings in schools, conferences, and events across the country and internationally.

Ultimately, we seek to provide a transformative experience for schools, creating a positive energy and feeling of success that carries throughout the entire school day. 

Since 2002, our performances, artist-in-residencies, workshops, and interactive drumming events have reached an estimated 2 million people in the US and internationally.

All of Dancing Drum's PreK-12 school programs are standards-based and prioritize hands-on opportunities for students to experience the excitement, magic, and creativity of the arts. We believe that rhythm is fundamental to all music-making. 

Drumming is not only about making music, it’s also a medium through which students can work together to build school community, learn to focus in a dynamic environment, and enjoy an energetic and productive outlet for creative self-expression.

When presented with an integrated arts focus, drumming can also access a wealth of cross-curricular connections to subjects like social-emotional learning, math, geography, social studies, language arts, visual art, dance, and more. 

Dancing Drum has presented highly successful clinic sessions at the Turnaround Arts Summer Institute, National Association for Music Education (NAfME) conferences, the Percussive Arts Society's International Conventions (PASIC) in Indianapolis and Austin, and at state music education conferences in Texas (TMEA), Florida (FMEA), North Carolina (NCMEA), South Carolina (SCMEA), Georgia (GMEA), Colorado (CMEA), Louisiana (LMEA), Wisconsin (WMEA), Iowa (IAMEA), Illinois (ILMEA), Indiana (INMEA), Ohio (OMEA), Pennsylvania (PMEA), Tennessee (TNMEA), Mississippi (MMEA), Arizona (AZMEA), Arkansas (ARKMEA) and Alabama (ALMEA). Dancing Drum has been a featured presenter at drumming events throughout China, Thailand, and South Korea.

Since drumming is for all ages, Dancing Drum also offers a range of Community Programs for adults and families. Specializing in Community Drum Ensemble and team-building Interactive Drumming Events, we create an energizing, celebratory, and memorable experience for special events and drumming enthusiasts of all ages and abilities.

Much of the content presented in Dancing Drum's programs has been gathered during extensive research travels in West Africa, the Caribbean, Asia, and throughout the US. One of our goals is to “bring the world home”, and we work hard to keep the information that we present in our programs authentic and engaging.

All Dancing Drum programs are presented by Steve Campbell and/or Lindsay Rust.

What are people saying about Dancing Drum? Visit our REVIEWS page for more info.