Rhythm, Sound & Motion Experience Workshop (RSME)
The Rhythm, Sound & Motion Experience Workshop was founded in 2003 by internationally acclaimed professional musician and entertainer Joseph Bowie. The original workshop concept was designed for musicians, however the curriculum quickly developed into a program for children and adults not only focusing on musical skills but social and personal development. Our workshop strengthens areas in communication, humanity, group cooperation, self-confidence and basic disciplines in understanding time and rhythm as well as awareness of maintaining good health through regular exercise. Mr. Bowie has been involved in community based workshops throughout the world, i.e. Music D'nuit (Bordeaux, France), Banebleu (Paris, France), Music School Luzern, Switzerland and throughout Colleges and Universities in the United States including Dartmouth College in New Hamshire over the past 20 years. He has synthesized these workshop experiences and developed a specialized workshop beneficial to children and adults, recognizing that the weaknesses in rhythmic development and cooperative working skills are primarily caused by lack of exposure at a young age. This is when we learn our basic techniques of reading, writing and mathematics. In our society we are now in a period of budget restraints, when schools cannot afford to offer curriculum in creative subjects such as music and art in a comprehensive manner. Utilizing specific training in Tai-Chi, Vocal excercises, timing and rhythmic development and finally work with percussion utilizing djembe drums, Kosen-Rufu achieves a balanced, comprehensive yet enjoyable program to enhance the personal and social skills of children and adults.
The members of the RSME Workshop are Joseph and wife Hennie van den Heuvel-Bowie assisted by volunteers who share the desire to offer positive energy and input into our community. We offer workshops to schools for ages 4 to 18 years. We offer workshops to Schools, Nursing homes, Special Education and Handicapped Facilities, as well as to businesses in the community. Our workshops are expecially beneficial in "Team" development and Management training.
Sponsorship and Subsidy
We are currently looking for sponsorship and subsidie to make our workshops more accesible to schools and organinizations under budget constraints. The RSME workshops are available and beneficial to everyone. We work in cooperation with organizations such as Arkelstad, who obtain subsidy from the Community Government and offer participating schools the opportunity to take part in the workshops.
We offer Community Businesses the unique opportunity to support schools in the community by sponsoring workshops for schools of their choice or those recommended by us. In exchange, we conduct comprehensive "Team and Management" training for the business sponsoring the schools directly linked to the amount of the sponsorship. For example, a sponsorship to a school of a 4 hour workshop is €1000. For this donation from a business, we will conduct a 2 hour workshop for the sponsoring business at "No cost". This enables the business to make a valuable contribution to the community and benefit itself directly from the specialized curriculum of the workshop.
On a larger scale we conduct Corporate Workshops specifically for Business Conventions and Training Seminars, independent of school sponsorship. The cost for these workshops is based on fair market value for similar services rendered. We accomodate up to 50 participants for these intensive and concentrated workshops.
For a better the world, begin with self!
To make an improvement in our life condition, we begin with education and exposure of our children to varied forms of art, music, culture and expression as well as fundamental skills such as reading, writing, and mathematics and awareness of how to improve our health through physical excercise and a healthy diet. We instill the discipline of "positive action" without fear and shame, to encourage the child to develop self expression and confidence. As adults, we must challenge ourselves to constantly make improvements in our character, dismissing selfish and egocentric thought and constantly expanding the knowledge we possess, nurturing our positive qualities and dismissing the negative aspects. An atmosphere of learning and working together must be instilled in our consciouness so that we can attain true satisfaction and happiness.
The RSME Workshops include:
• Part One includes Tai-Chi, breathing excercises, 5 Tibeten rites, Treasure Tower exercises and other excercises to improve circulation, concentration, conditioning and body awareness. This first portion of the workshop warms the body, releases tension and encourages group cooperation and helps to eliminate "shyness". Kosen-Rufu Foundation volunteers assist the participants in executing the exercises in the proper manner encouraging a positive attitude at all times.
• Part two of the workshop involves vocal awareness and simple training. The voice is the primary instrument we all possess. We work in a circle, where all participants are aware of each other. We sing "tones" together and begin by holding hands to become aware of each others body rhythms. We learn to follow the directions of the leader (as in an orchestra) and respond as required. The concept of "many as one" is taught through repitition, games and discipline exercises. We learn to count together, understand rhythm and how to manage rhythms together in a group. We sing different rhythms and learn to feel how a band, sports team, company, choir or orchestra functions. We learn to coordinate different rhythms with different parts of the body operating independently from each other also utilizing various hand clapping excercises and body movements. Finally, we perform multi-rhythmic vocal songs and have each participant come the the center of the circle and make an independent expression. This expression is totally of the participants choice...singing, dancing, mime or whatever the individual considers his or her self expression at that moment. The requirement is that each person be individual and create a short expression totally unique to themselves. Kosen-Rufu Foundation workers (1 person for every 10 participants) assist with all procedures and encourage the participants to work at their maximun potential. This is the preparation for Part three.
• In Part three of the workshop each participant is given a Authentic West African Djembe drum and we begin working in the principles introduced in Part Two. No musical training is neccessary to excel in this segment! All excercises are based in talent we all naturally possess. We further explore the understanding of timing, rhythm and performing together, conscious of all participants in the group. This discipline further emphasizes working together in a group working towards a common goal. We perform various exercises in counting and concentration, focusing on the musical goal of the group. We play games stimulating concentration and following directions. We execute rhythmic patterns and learn how to perform various techniques on the drums, eventually playing rhythms together in a structured manner while Mr. Bowie performs solos on djembe drum with the ensemble, further exhibiting self expression in conjunction with a variety of rhythms played together by the group in a common tempo. This part of the workshop further emphasizes the lessons of group cooperation learned in Part two. The participants are able to see and hear the value of concentration and cooperation in a group setting.
• Part four - "Limbo Dance" In this section we form a large circle and use 2 or 3 limbo sticks (depending on the size of the group). The participants are given small rhythmic instruments to shake or play while they do the limbo dance around the room in a large circle. Mr. Bowie and volunteers play rhythms on the drums to accompany the dancing. Kosen-Rufu workers hold the limbo sticks and assist the participants in creating an atmosphere of celebration. This is the last portion of the workshop that combines physical activity, body movement, group cooperation discipline and most of all...FUN!
For further information and workshop reservations:
www.rsme.eu
info@rsme.eu
www.stichtingkosenrufu.com
Telephone
Email: kosen-rufu@planet.nl
Registratinummer Handersregister: 11066060
Banknummer Rabobank: 397254997
e-mail; kosen-rufu@planet.nl
registratienummer Handelsregister : 11066060
Banknummer Rabobank te Gorinchem : 397254997