Description
Djembe Alchemy is honoured to have our extended drum and dance family from down south, Melbourne Djembe, in town offering some fun and engaging workshops to stimulate your mind, challenge your body and nourish your soul.
Mitzi and Simon from Melbourne Djembe have a deep understanding of African drumming and dance (and music generally), gained through over 20 years of study, teaching and many study tours of Africa. Through their infectious smiles and vibrant but clear and informative teaching styles, Mitzi and Simon have built a drum and dance community in Melbourne that is the envy of the Nation. Check out some of their exploits!
Mitzi and Simon will share their unique perspective of rhythm and movement with us through a range of workshops over 2 days. This is a rare opportunity to learn from Australia’s leading non-African artists in the African drumming and dance space.
Workshop Schedule (75 minutes for each workshop)
Saturday 4 July 2026
- 9:00AM to 10:15am – Djembe Drumming Workshop (Simon)
- 10:45AM to 12:00pm – African Dance Workshop (Mitzi)
- 1:15PM to 2:30pm – Dundun Drumming Workshop (Simon)
- 3:00 PM to 4:15pm – Dundun Dance Workshop (Mitzi)
Sunday 5 July 2026
- 9:00AM to 10:15am – Djembe Drumming Workshop (Simon)
- 10:45AM to 12:00pm – African Dance Workshop (Mitzi)
- 1:15PM to 2:30pm – Dundun Drumming Workshop (Simon)
- 3:00 PM to 4:15pm – Dundun Dance Workshop (Mitzi)
Pricing
| Â Total workshops | Â Price | Â Djembe hire | Â Dundun hire | |
| Single Class | 1 | $35 | $5 | $5 |
| All drumming | 4 | $100 | $8 | $8 |
| All dancing | 4 | $100 | Â N/A | $8 |
| All drum and dance | 8 | $175 | $8 | $10 |
Workshop Details:
African danceÂ
Mitzi will take you through a warm up and then teach traditional Mali or Guinea style dance accompanied by a live drumming ensemble. Learn how to respond to djembe phrases and feel the rhythm in your body.
Dundun dance
Play the drums and dance at the same time! This class provides an entry point to dundun dance for drummers or dancers – an exhilarating way to experience Guinean rhythms.
DjembeÂ
Suitable for beginners and those with some experience, Simon will teach you how to get the best sounds out of your drum, then focus on a traditional rhythm including accompaniments, call and break.
Dundun drumming
Often overlooked, dunduns provide an essential role in the ensemble. Learn about stick technique and feel the bass element with these beautiful instruments.
About Melbourne Djembe
Run by Simon Lewis and Mitzi McRae, Melbourne Djembe is a creative company specialising in West African drumming and dance.
A note from Sophie and Ben
Mitzi and Simon have truly been an inspiration on our ongoing drum and dance journey and as community builders and leaders. Apart from their skills and knowledge in rhythm and movement, which we feel we’ve only seen a snippet of and could only dream of one day attaining, they have built a very special drum and dance community in Melbourne. It’s active, energetic, engaged, friendly and supportive, and they obviously have a heck of a lot of fun down there. We thank Simon and Mitzi sincerely for the visit and hope that a smidgeon of their infectious vibe and attitude remains behind as a seed to blossom here at Lake Mac.
