Beat It! African Dances: Book & CD

Glennie and Cameron have created something genuinely rare: a percussion resource that treats beginner students as real musicians while keeping logistics simple. Four carefully chosen African dances anchor the entire book, building rhythmic sophistication progressively across sixteen workshops instead of scattering unrelated activities. The integration of body percussion with classroom instruments grounds the work in accessibility without sacrificing musical integrity.

The material pulses with the energy and layering of authentic African rhythmic traditions, yet remains grounded in the physicality of how young players actually experience music. Students will feel the satisfaction of moving from isolated rhythmic patterns to coherent, ensemble dances that sound genuinely musical and carry cultural weight.

This book serves percussion ensembles and classroom music teachers working with students aged eight and up who are new to playing together. It works equally well for a dedicated percussion group meeting weekly or a general music class integrating rhythm and ensemble work. Teachers seeking structured progression from body awareness to ensemble performance will find the workshop format both practical and musically coherent.

• Start by having students feel the pulse through movement before adding any instruments; this establishes the kinesthetic foundation that Glennie emphasizes throughout the material.
• Layer percussion gradually across rehearsals rather than introducing all instruments at once; let each workshop build familiarity with a specific rhythmic idea before combining parts.
• Use the CD backings to anchor rhythmic confidence, but also rehearse sections without recorded accompaniment so students internalize the feel rather than depending on it.
• Encourage students to listen to and discuss the African musical traditions behind each dance; context deepens engagement and respect for the source material.

Schedule the four completed dances as a discrete percussion spotlight in a school concert or assembly, allowing the work across these workshops to culminate in a performance that showcases student progress and introduces the audience to African musical traditions. Alternatively, integrate individual dances into a world music concert or cultural celebration program where each piece reflects a different region or community.

• Coordinating ostinatos across multiple percussion parts
• Feeling and maintaining complex rhythmic patterns without harmonic reference
• Integrating body percussion (clapping, stamping) with played percussion
• Responding to call-and-response and layered rhythmic structures
• Ensemble listening and blend across different percussion timbres
• Understanding rhythm as a cultural and physical practice, not just notation