Beloved music teacher and performing percussionist Kimani Lumsden hears rhythm everywhere in the world around him—in music, yes, but also in language. In this unique hands-on workshop for students of all ages, Kimani works with classes to turn a familiar phrase of their choosing (a school motto, a pledge, a nursery rhyme, any fragment of meaningful language) into a percussive musical piece using bucket drums and body rhythm. Students will listen closely to discover the musical parts of language—syllabic stresses, consonant and vowel sounds, rising and falling pitches–which they will then turn into a unison groove with movements and dance moves.

Schools and organizations can then preserve the students' rhythm and dance as a reminder of shared identity and creativity–or, as one school described it, a "secret handshake for our community." Students will walk away with a new understanding of the music that surrounds them and the creative agency to harness and embody what they hear.

Kimani is currently available only for afterschool and weekend workshops.