I must confess I was rather unnerved when I first joined the drum circle during Thursday's event "Music+Rhythm+Community." Usually, an event review requires me to sit in the audience as I take notes on my iPhone about the actors in a theatrical production or the harmonies in a musical ensemble. At most, I stand up and applaud when I feel the performance warrants it. But I have never been asked to involve myself in the event. After all, those who can't do so write, right?

Wrong. My experience with Brandeis Beats' event "Music+Rhythm+Community" wrested passivity straight from my uncoordinated hands. As I beat the Ghanaian drums, I found myself completely immersed in the rhythm of the circle. Building the beat from the bottom up, we were unified through the most unlikely of mediums. Cohesion required a certain restraint, a willingness to listen to the pulsating conversation of percussion before we could add any commentary of our own-strengthening unity among us without a spoken word.

This is precisely what Brandeis Beats endeavors to facilitate. Founded last semester by Aliza Gans '15, the club fosters a creative space dedicated to bridging gaps within the Brandeis and larger Waltham communities. Led by Boston-based drummer Jeremy Cohen, professional percussionist and founder of ThisWorldMusic, the workshop taught valuable skills on how to facilitate and conduct successful drum circles in future outreach programs. Cohen stressed the importance of improvisation in making drumming accessible and creating a base from which to build a unique and cohesive sound. He encouraged students to step in the middle of the circle and conduct the various sections, and emphasizing inclusion and involvement within a medium where everyone might not feel completely comfortable.

In the past, the club has visited the local elementary school in order to expose students to the power of music and to cultivate a sense of such community. Their efforts were so successful that they even enticed ten-year-old Gabriel and his mother to join us in Thursday's drum circle. Too shy to speak, Gabriel beat his drum with such intensity that he lost himself in the music. Gabriel's involvement revealed the significance of Brandeis Beats' mission, as well as the relevance of music in uniting different communities.

By the end of the workshop, the rhythm in the room transitioned into a magic that transcended technicality. For a few moments I experienced what Gabriel had-I lost myself in the beat and forgot that I was drumming, entranced and mesmerized. The music was euphoric, funky, contagious, sensational and addictive, but the only word I can think to accurately describe my experience with is soul-lifting. I left the drum circle feeling invigorated, refreshed, impassioned and anxious to return the next week to immerse myself in the rhythm all over again.
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