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NOTE: This page is obsolete. Please go to http://swps.org.
The Seattle World Percussion Society is a Membership-based 501(c)(3)
nonprofit corporation . We are comprised of members interested in supporting
the SWPS mission of promoting world percussion and dancing in the Pacific
Northwest, and the use of drumming and dance for community building and
diversity appreciation in our community. Interested parties can join
SWPS here.
SWPS is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of a President
and Board Members nominated from the SWPS general membership. The Board
of Directors works with the Executive Director to accomplish the SWPS
mission.
The Board is comprised of the following individuals:
John Avinger
Executive Director
John Avinger is the Founder and Director of SWPS. He is the owner of
John's Music, a center of percussion
education in Seattle. John has studied conga with Teo Rodriguez and Jerry
Steinholtz, and djembe with Babatunde Olatunji and Gordy Ryan.
He created a children's percussion curriculum that he has presented to
music teachers throughout the area at workshops and in-service programs.
John has led drum circles for local church organizations and schools and
has expert knowledge of percussion instruments.
John would never say it himself, but he is the driving force behind the
Seattle World Percussion Society and the World Rhythm Festival. Without
his continued efforts, industry and artist contacts, and non-stop work
on behalf of all those interested in drum and dance, there quite simply
would be none of this.
In his typical mild-mannered way, he'll tell you that it's no big deal,
but we all know much better. And once a year, at the Festival's Great
Northwest Drum Circle, he's handed the microphone and in a shimmering
moment, the beauty of the entire thing becomes instantly apparent and
it overwhelms him more than any of us can appreciate. The Pacific Northwest
rhythm community could ask for no finer than John Avinger.
Jim Boneau
President
As a professional corporate trainer and facilitator, Jim has worked with
Top Fortune 500 companies as well as small, start-up ventures, in providing
management training, technology training, business skill development, organizational
development and meeting facilitation. More then just a corporate trainer
and facilitator, Jim is committed to transformation of individuals and groups
through his unique approach to group process.
Jim is a professional facilitator, using rhythm as a basis for group
transformation. Concepts such as listening, teamwork, group cooperation,
and outcome management have been introduced in workplaces using Jim’s
rhythm-based events. In addition to workplace rhythm facilitation, Jim
has facilitated rhythm events and taught drumming in schools, community
events, and public performances.
Jim’s mission is a commitment to develop those who are committed to developing
others. Teachers, corporate trainers, business, and community leaders
have developed their own skills with Jim’s assistance. Jim is a certified
drum-circle facilitator, mentor, and featured public speaker. His values
and commitment to growth and personal development uniquely prepare him
to transform workplaces, communities, and individuals. jimboneau@yahoo.com
Ed McNichol
Past-President
It was Ed's interest in promoting rhythm-based events that first drew
him to SWPS. Originally a Rhythm Festival volunteer and Webmaster for
SWPS, he joined the Board several years ago. The strides that SWPS has
made in helping to build a strong sense of community have energized him
to grow the organization. He views drum circles as a great equalizer in
our often divided culture. Ed is also a drum circle facilitator, and has
facilitated circles at Bumbershoot, the University Street Fair and private
functions throughout the Puget Sound area.
Ed is a communications professional by career. A film and video editor
for the past 23 years and recognized expert in his field, Ed taught the
craft of editing and technical directing at the Sony Video Institute for
eleven years. His articles on video post-production have appeared in many
professional trade publications and his client list includes such names
as AT&T, Disney, FedEx, GTE, Microsoft, NBA, Nintendo, QVC, Turner
Entertainment and others.
He is currently the Post-Production Supervisor at the University of
Washington and the Research Channel. His firm, EDcetera, continues to
provide consulting services to the communications industry. A member of
the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and the Society
of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, his work has received numerous
awards, including Emmys and Tellys. More information can be found at www.mcnichol.com.
Mary Anderson
Treasurer
After more than 20 years in management, organizational development, and
experiential education, Mary Anderson made two discoveries in 1998 that
changed her life. The first was drumming, which awakened her dormant and
under-developed inner musician. The second was drum circles, where she sees
the most important principles she’d been working with in organizations synthesized
and played out in the context of music-making and fun. Mary now combines
these interests in several arenas, as a manager, as designer of rhythm-oriented
training programs, and as a community drum circle facilitator.
Appreciating music from all rhythm traditions, Mary thinks of SWPS activities
as highlighting the many branches of Seattle’s vibrant drum and dance scene.
She believes the more connections we can weave among the parts of our rhythm
community, the better we’ll share the joy of the beat with the community-at-large.
Tom Glans
Vendor Liaison
Modest in his demeanor, Tom has utilized his rye sense of humor and great
public relations and organizational skills to put together the Festival
Marketplace for many years.
Though claiming that his bio is utterly devoid of any percussive accomplishment
it is his hope that his "life has been attuned to the rhythms of
compassion".
Lara McIntosh
Board Member
Lara McIntosh is
a self employed choreographer and dance teacher who has been conducting
Positive Sweat in Seattle for the past 11 years. She recently returned
from her first field trip to Africa studying at the Mali Kan School in
Bamako, Mali. She joined the SWPS board to offer a dancer's voice to the
vibrant drumming community of Seattle.
www.positivesweat.com.
Huldah Martin
Board Member
Huldah is a member of the performance groups Village Drum and Masquerade
and Bembe Olele as well as a drummer for the Positive Sweat Sunday Morning
Jam dance class. She feels herself to be in the privileged position of having
worked and performed in community with some of the most dynamic teachers
and performers in the Seattle pantheon of the African Diaspora.
Forever a dancer at heart, Huldah's transition to drumming was by way
of the teachings of Mark Joe Gbaryu, a brilliant drum-maker, drummer,
and dancer, and Won-Ldy Paye, storyteller and consummate performer, both
from Liberia, West Africa.
Her exploration of sound and movement interplay has lead her to believe
that, drumming or dancing, by focusing our attention and intention on
being present, conscious, and willing to work ensemble we create an energetic
environment that benefits and uplifts the whole.
Huldahej@juno.com
Edward Mulhern
Board Member
Edward Mulhern is a Seattle based Rhythm Events Facilitator. He facilitates
rhythm events for community groups such as schools, camps, churches and
public festivals such as Bumbershoot and neighborhood fairs. Edward has
also organized and facilitates a weekly Friday Drum-jam session to benefit
the Seattle World Percussion Society. This well attended Seattle area jam
has been running strong for three years.
Edward's mission is to assist people in learning and applying fundamentals
of rhythm, and to instigate fun spirited rhythm community. He revels in
initiating and facilitating participatory community rhythm events where
there is a welcome friendly atmosphere, where everyone is having a great
time, where there is a spontaneous easy flow from one rhythm piece to
another, and where the groove is engaging for all skill levels of participants.
Edward uses a hybrid approach, which melds his knowledge of teaching culturally
specific rhythms with community development through free form jamming.
Contact Edward by email at wmulhern@earthlink.net
for more information about the Friday Drum-Jam or to inquire about having
Edward facilitate a participatory rhythm activity for your community group.
Kip Hubbard
Board Member
Kip Hubbard has been teaching and performing Afro-Caribbean rhythms since
1995. His background as a school teacher lead him to integrate hand drumming
into his teaching strategies, eventually leaving education and starting
his own non-profit organization, Right-of-Way Youth Enrichment Programs,
in 1996.
During the years since, Kip has formed five youth rhythm ensembles, all
of which have been seen performing extensively around the Puget Sound
region. His first drum ensemble, A Beat In Time, began performing in 1996
and debuted at the World Rhythm Festival in 1998. His other bands and
ensembles, including the Funk Junkies Junk Marching Band, Rhythm Planet,
Drum Tribe and Beat Soup have performed at such notable venues as the
Fremont Fair, Bumbershoot, the Juan de Fuca Festival, Bremerton Festival
of the Arts, ArtsTime, ArtSpring, and many other major Northwest festivals,
events and schools.
In 2002, Kip started Project Drum, an organization devoted to providing
rhythm-related support services to public school teachers. His popular
teacher training workshops are widely attended by Washington teachers,
and his web site www.projectdrum.com
offers a growing variety of resources for teachers, students, and parents.
In addition to working with teachers, Kip continues to visit schools and
teach classes and workshops in Seattle and on the Olympic Peninsula.
John Hayden
Board Member
Since 1995, John has worked with artisans around the world importing musical
instruments. His company, JAMTOWN, features multicultural rhythm packs that
celebrate the common bond all people share through rhythm. John has written
and produced three artisan videos, activity guides, and a children’s album
- included in the award winning JAMTOWN Junior Rhythm Pak. He facilitates
school, business, and community rhythm events – all populations can benefit
by expressing and sharing together.
www.jamtown.com
A Special Thanks to:
Lance Scott
Graphics and Layout Liaison
Now in his seventh year of doing the layout and design for the WRF program
and mailer,
Lance operates his freelance business, Catalytic Communications, writing,
editing, and doing graphic design for mostly social-change-oriented non-profits
and small businesses.
Lance has been playing in drum circles for about 25 years and has studied
traditional West African rhythms for the last 10 years. He is a veteran
performer in the ensembles Afö, Bambara Spirit, and the Invisible
Circus.
Lance teaches beginning djembe and facilitates drum circles. lanscot@drizzle.com
Chris Nielson
Computer Tech Liaison
In 2001, Christopher Nielsen took up the djembe as a way to get more involved
in the fabulous festivals in Seattle, but was unprepared for the way the
drumming culture can get to your soul.
He began classes with Bill Matthews back then, only expecting to have a
few lessons on the basics. But those first classes touched something and
stopping was unthinkable. After years studying with Bill, his classes are
still as challenging and fun as in the first year. In 2002, on a trip to
Ghana that Bill organized, Christopher was again unprepared for what he
would find and people he would meet in Africa.
Christopher continues lessons, and plays regularly for dance classes
and with other musicians when the opportunity arises. He is involved in
several ongoing technical projects in Ghana. For a day job, Christopher
works as a consultant, assisting small business with automated web and
database programming, security, support, and helping organizations make
the most of open source software systems.
chris@zorinco.com
Jana Rekosh
2005 World Rhythm Festival Artwork
Jana Rekosh Artworks, jana@rekosh.com,
206-351-0276
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