About RhythmRise
What We Do
RhythmRise helps make drum circles accessible. We support under-resourced public schools and community centers whose students may face significant socio-economic adversity.
We provide the tools so teachers can establish & maintain their own drum circles. This includes authoring an educational guide as a curriculum supplement, donating homemade and purchased drums, and making onsite visits to lead drum circles.
OUR IMPACT
To date, we have created and donated over 200 handmade drums, enjoyed by up to 3,000 students across seven schools & community centers in four states! We have also purchased drums for use by up to 500 students. Our immediate goal is to serve up to 10,000 students by the end of 2025. WIth support, all of what we do is easily scalable and sustainable for many years to come!
Therapeutic Benefits of Drum Circles
Participating in drum circles can provide immediate and lasting therapeutic benefits - such as increased emotional regulation, focus, & social connectedness; and decreased stress, anxiety levels, & depression symptoms.
How? Rhythmic drumming triggers endorphin release, engaging the brain’s reward & stress-regulation centers. This helps promote a healthier balance in the nervous system & supports improved emotional resilience. Not to mention, drumming is simply FUN!
Our journey to drum Circle ACCESSIBILITY
1. LEADING DRUM CIRCLES
2. CREATING A DRUM CIRCLE CURRICULUM sUPPLeMENT, IMPLEMENTED ACROSS SCHOOLS
2. CREATING A DRUM CIRCLE CURRICULUM sUPPLeMENT, IMPLEMENTED ACROSS SCHOOLS
Volunteering to lead drum circles with youth in our local community, and experience the joy and calm it brought the kids, was the impetus for starting RhythmRise. It's still the best feeling, when we deliver drums to a school and get to do a drum circle together!
2. CREATING A DRUM CIRCLE CURRICULUM sUPPLeMENT, IMPLEMENTED ACROSS SCHOOLS
2. CREATING A DRUM CIRCLE CURRICULUM sUPPLeMENT, IMPLEMENTED ACROSS SCHOOLS
2. CREATING A DRUM CIRCLE CURRICULUM sUPPLeMENT, IMPLEMENTED ACROSS SCHOOLS
We created a free, comprehensive guidebook so anyone can be a confident drum circle leader. Our instructional tools are in use across our partner schools, starting with Newark Public Schools, the largest school district in our home state of NJ.
3. DONATING PURCHASED DRUMS TO SCHOOLS
2. CREATING A DRUM CIRCLE CURRICULUM sUPPLeMENT, IMPLEMENTED ACROSS SCHOOLS
4. DONATING MADE-OURSELVES DRUMS TO SCHOOLS
Drum circles can't happen if schools don't have access to instruments, so we purchased new drums for use by up to 500 elementary school students. (Funds earned by teaching private guitar lessons.) And it led to a much bigger idea...
4. DONATING MADE-OURSELVES DRUMS TO SCHOOLS
6. FACILITATING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR SCALE & LONGEVITY
4. DONATING MADE-OURSELVES DRUMS TO SCHOOLS
We figured out that by creating our own drums, rather than buying them, we can can reduce cost by over 75%! Making drum donating much more sustainable and scalable, and allowing so many more students access to drums. Our living room has become a drum-making factory of flowerpots, paper plates, balloons, and decorations ever since...
5. CREATING + SHARING HOW-TO-MAKE-DRUMS GUIDEBOOK
6. FACILITATING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR SCALE & LONGEVITY
6. FACILITATING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR SCALE & LONGEVITY
The more drums being made, the more students benefit. So we created a 50-page guidebook - based on a lot of research, trial and error - showing how fun & easy it is to get involved!
6. FACILITATING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR SCALE & LONGEVITY
6. FACILITATING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR SCALE & LONGEVITY
6. FACILITATING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR SCALE & LONGEVITY
It feels nice bringing communities together to make drums in service of fellow communities. Scaling up the production and distribution of homemade drums, across the country, exponentially and with longevity, is our next focus, and we have big plans!