Barbara Gail earned her BA in Education with a Minor in Dance, from Hampshire College in January, 1986, focusing on multicultural education, and the role of the creative arts as an experiential learning tool, as well as a process for personal and social transformation. Her studies and experiences at Hampshire launched a lifelong journey into the worlds of music, dance, dance education, movement therapy, and other body-mind topics, including community-tribal dance events.

In addition to enhancing her skills as a dancer, hand-drummer and percussionist, the combination of her varied and intense explorations in rhythm has given her a deep and comprehensive understanding of the role of rhythm in our lives individually and collectively.

West African Djembe Hand-drumming studies with numerous teachers first began with jazz and world music composer, percussionist and recording artist John McDowell in 1988. Her Ecstatic Dance studies over several years with shamanic dancer Gabrielle Roth, author of Sweat Your Prayers: Movement as Spiritual Practice, began in 1991. On-going Frame Drumming studies with master drummer, composer, recording artist, ceremonialist and historian Layne Redmond, author of When the Drummers Were Women: A Spiritual History of Rhythm, began in 1993. She completed Layne’s 6 month advanced training in 1998, and traveled with her on a drumming journey to Egypt in 2001, and to Salvador, Bahia, Brasil in 2005 and 2008. On-going Rhythm for Evolution polymetric studies with Reinhard (and Cornelia) Flatischler, author of Ta Ke Ti Na: The Forgotten Power of Rhythm began in 1998. And she began working with Community Drum Circle Facilitation experts such as Barry Bernstein, Ubaka Hill, Randy Crafton, and Arthur Hull, in 1996. She has had a gazillion other talented and exciting teachers, to all of whom she is eternally thankful, but too many to name here.

She and her partner in life and work, Jeff Hanna, operate The Rhythm Inlet retail store, with its staggering array of world drums and percussion instruments, and The Space drum and dance workshop studio. They perform together in an assortment of rhythm bands: Coconut Groove, steel drums and percussion; Tudo da Samba, Brasilian percussion procession; and their ‘edu-taining’ show for children and adults, "Drums Heard ‘Round the World!". She is the Director of Moonrise: Daughters of an Ancient Pulse, an all-women’s frame drum group; and is percussionist and background vocalist in The Leah Wolfsong Band.

A natural teacher, Barbara has been affectionately referred to as “A Rhythm Ambassador”, and “A Pied Piper of Rhythm”, as she spreads the joys of rhythm and movement to all kinds of folks, of all ages, abilities and challenges. Her earlier background in the performing and visual arts give her the unique ability to communicate in an entertaining way, and create visually aesthetic presentations. Since 1994 she has been having a blast enthusiastically leading groups of people -- aged 1 through 85 -- in profound rhythm experiences, bringing her to well over 200 schools, libraries, day camps, conferences, agencies, staff retreats, festivals, private engagements, community events, adult classes, you name it!

In her spare, personal time -- which is, like, not very often -- you’ll find her losing herself (or is it “finding” herself?!) in dance classes, or in the garden. She writes, “In fact, I think everything I ever needed to know, I learned in the garden.”

Barbara’s personal statement and favorite quotes (well, 2 of them anyway…):

Most people experience 2 types of energy: tense and calm. Yet tense energy is what so many of us seem to embody most of the time! We call this “stress”, and the medical community agrees that it wreaks havoc on our health, creating imbalances physically, emotionally, and mentally, sometimes manifesting as acute or chronic illness or disease. The reduction of stress in our lives is key to vibrant health.

The stress-reducing and health-promoting benefits of joyfully moving the body, and the immune-boosting, brain-nourishing, and calming effects rhythm has on the nervous system -- something people have known about and practiced for thousands of years -- is now finally being scientifically recognized and documented.

Aligning with this pulse of life also roots us deeply in the present, so that the mind’s pre-occupation with the re-runs of our past and worries about the future -- which only serve to disconnect us from whatever thoughts, emotions, or tasks are at hand -- is quieted. Dissolving this inner chatter and its excess weight on our psyches, enables a sense of well-being to wash over us, bathing us in serenity as we experience wholeness and connectedness.

I am a firm believer in Participatory Music and Dance. Around the world, community music-making and dancing are activities that everyone takes part in, from small children to teens to grandparents. And often they do so in a multi-generational way, imagine that!

In our culture, however, most music and dance happen in a performance setting, and we, the audience, enjoy listening and watching from our seats. But this passive, rather than active role, can prevent us from seeing ourselves as potential musicians or dancers, rather than inspiring our own creative impulses. We feel shy, inhibited, and not good enough, because look at who we are comparing ourselves to -- the crafted performers on stage! Only those who have been schooled in the arts are viewed as those who are entitled to create and express. What a disservice we have done to ourselves and each other. Creativity is the stuff of which life is made, and the creative process is as natural as breathing.

I have been guiding people in drum and dance journeys for over 15 years. Time and again I have had the privilege of witnessing the positive effects of rhythmic movement and music on people’s lives. I have heard testimony of their transformative experiences from these practices, centering them in a way that allows them to feel fluid, focused and free to act from the deepest and wisest parts of themselves.

I have seen children’s awareness open, as I introduce them to a drum that was made in a place they primarily hear about in war stories in the news media. And when a child plays that drum, and the other children play other drums from other parts of the world, and together they make music (or at least joyful noise!), thoughts of global harmony dance in their minds.

I have had the honor of helping someone who thinks he or she can’t dance or play a drum -- whether an 8 year old boy or a woman of a certain age -- to shatter these false self-images that they have somehow assimilated into their belief systems -- from parents or society or irresponsible early music teacher many years ago, or who-knows-where -- and revel in their self-expression, partaking in group music and dance, fully uninhibited. I have been moved by the magical mystery of the drum and the dance to bring people -- often strangers to each other -- into a state of unity, equality, joyfulness and calm.

It’s good ancient medicine for life in our modern world!

The power of the pulse has profoundly affected my own life. My heart beats to do this work! I am grateful for it and to the people who support me in it, and I am committed to making this my positive contribution toward personal and planetary health and peace.

One drum, one dance, one heart,
Barbara Gail

“Study rhythm -- rhythm supports life.”
–Rudolf Steiner, 1923

“I had a dream and I heard music and there were children standing around, but no one was dancing. I asked a little girl, “Why not?”, and she said they didn’t know how, or maybe they used to but they forgot. And so I started to hop up and down and the children asked me, “Is that dancing?, and I laughed and said, “No, that’s hopping, but at least it’s a start”. And soon everyone was hopping and laughing and it didn’t matter any more that no one was dancing.”
–Brian Andreas, 1994