The Wooden Roots Experience

Wooden Roots Experience is TBA...

Wooden Roots Experience is held at DANCEEAST, JERWOOD DANCEHOUSE, FOUNDRY LANE, IPSWICH, IP4 1DW.

It is an opportunity for you to be completely engulfed in a one of kind learning experience with high quality & authentic instruction where you will connect with your rhythmic sensitivity & further explore your love of music and dance rooted in the African diaspora.  We will provide you with an unforgettable experience!

Traditional West African djembes or dundun drums i.e. djembes or dunun from West African that have been hand carved and headed with a goat or a cow skin and that are properly tuned so that they sound tonally correct. Non authentic or non traditional “look alike” drums wil NOT be allowed in to workshops like Remo, LP, Meinl, Toca to name a few. If you do not have an authentic djembe you can rent one.

DANCE WORKSHOPS - These workshops are inclusively designed to cater to individuals of all skill levels. The Wooden Roots experienced instructors excel in teaching multi-level classes, ensuring that every participant has a valuable learning experience, regardless of their starting point. Each workshop will commence with a warm-up session and conclude with a stretching routine. The West African dance workshops will be enhanced by live drumming, while the Afrobeats dance workshops will feature amplified recorded music.

DRUM WORKSHOP BEGINNER  - Start here if you are completely new to this culture i.e. traditional West African drumming, dance and the wider dance of the African diaspora. 

DRUM WORKSHOP IMPROVER/INTERMEDIATE  - You can identify calls, breaks and pick up extended breaks relatively quickly. You are happy to play dunduns in class once you are familiar with the rhythm. You may know a couple of passport accompaniments and you are happy to have a go at solo phrases if asked.

DRUM WORKSHOP INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED -  You are confident with a number of different accompaniment patterns and are used to playing solo phrases.  You can play and understand the breaks and play these competently within a group. You would be expected to play dunduns without much direction during a class workshop and have a wide knowledge of the different types of rhythms. Your instruments are authentic, properly maintained and tuned to the ensemble.  You do not need to use music notes while playing live and can fully engage with the other drummers to make sure that the music is tonally correct.

Yes - it will be posted on big posters around the venue and emailed out to participants prior to the event.

Wooden Roots ethos is that we all learn better when in smaller focussed groups. The Wooden Roots Experience will strive to maintain that each workshop will have a capacity of approx 15 to 60 students per level and depending on the room size. Every class will have qualified dundun support . 

The Wooden Roots Experience are in the heart of Ipswich and surrounded by many cafes, pubs, restaurants and take-aways, many of them in walking distance of the venue.  There is also an in-house cafe on the ground floor that serves snacks, sandwiches and hot beverages. The Wooden Roots Experience hope to have authentic food from the African diaspora available for purchase on Saturday night, this will be confirmed closer to the event.

You are allowed to video and record whilst at the event.

DISCLAIMER: Wooden Roots will have filming and photography happening throughout the event which will be used publicly on their social media platforms. Anyone under the age of 18 will be asked to sign a disclaimer allowing us to do this at the event. If you are an adult and don’t wish to be on film or photos please speak to a member of Wooden Roots staff who will be located in the box office throughout the weekend. You will be asked to wear an identifying lanyard so that our photographer's don't capture you.

This weekend is exceptional value for money and depending on what options you choose depends on your experience. If you can attend the entire weekend with everything that is on offer you will absolutely have the best experience on offer.

On purchasing your ticket you will receive a digital ticket that goes to your SKIDDLE app or comes to you via email. Your ticket will be scanned on arrival and you will be given an entry pack with everything you need.

To avoid ticketing scams you should not buy tickets any other way than via SKIDDLE.

General policy is that once you have bought your ticket it is non-refundable. If you are under an extreme circumstance and really cannot attend the team will refund your ticket in full (minus fees).

Please email events@woodenroots.com

The Wooden Roots Experience is in the heart of Ipswich and surrounded by a selection of hotels such as Novotel, Easy Hotel, Premier Inn, Travelodge and many air BNB options.

Yes, free carer tickets are available, please contact us for our eligibility criteria. We want to ensure you enjoy the weekend so please advise us if there is anything we can do to make this possible.  

Email: events@woodenroots.com