Jim Donovan Drums

Rhythmic Motivation : Team Building Through Rhythm
Give your students new tools to strengthen teamwork, enable clearer communication and easily reduce stress with this energetic 100% interactive group drumming program.

Rhythmic Motivation is an engaging, group music-making program in which your students will learn to focus on building purpose and connection with each other, while deepening their listening skills and releasing stress. Rhythmic Motivation is fun, 100% interactive and provides lasting lessons about working with others that your students can use everyday.

Rhythmic Motivation is the perfect program for:
*multi-cultural awareness
*stress-relief and wellness
*leadership conferences
*freshman orientation
*team building
*ice breakers
*pre-event energizers

Would you like more information? Email us here..

WHAT IT IS:
A custom-designed program in which your students focus on building purpose and connection with others, deepening listening skills, exploring ways to enhance creativity and developing new stress-reduction skills.

WHY IT EXISTS:
Because when you take a common object and ask everyone to actively participate in and share it, an extraordinary thing happens – people evolve from being separate, vulnerable, competitive, insecure individuals, to joining together as a cohesive whole - an entity fostering mutual respect, communication (particularly listening), honesty, equality, and imagination.
Suddenly, the ninety disparate, self-conscious freshman have morphed into “team rhythm.” Why? Because they were required to put aside all preconceived notions, all labels, all differences and work together to create a unified whole.
And, all the while, they relaxed, laughed, communicated, and “saw” each other in a whole new light.

WHERE IT HAPPENS:
Virtually any space:
• Large enough to hold the group seated in armless chairs.
• In which it is perfectly ok to be loud!
• Preferably In-doors
We can accommodate groups up to 100 people per session. Larger groups are possible upon request.

HOW MUCH TIME IT TAKES:
Variable. Each program is custom designed to fit the situation.
Usually 60 – 90 minutes per session

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:
It was a pleasure to have Jim on campus. He puts on the type of interactive event that easily gets students involved.  Jim is a total professional; he quickly puts people at ease and soon has the entire group drumming in unison.  Programming at a two-year college can be difficult.  Jim’s event grabs everyone’s attention. We had busy, stressed-out nursing students take the time to join Jim for two sessions!  He’s great!
-Eoin Kinnarney
Director Student Activities Gloucester County College

"Rhythmic Motivation was more successful than I could have imagined. I was really impressed with how the workshop was for all of our employees. The learning curve as well as any employee apprehension melted away as the group started drumming in unison. Jim is truly a gifted leader, teacher and facilitator. Six months later employees are still talking about the workshop and referencing the common metaphors. The workshop serves many valuable lessons from Active listening to avoiding 'paralysis by analysis' and just trying new challenges. I wholeheartedly recommend this workshop."

-Drayton Foltz
Director of Production and Technology
Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center University of Maryland

"During this session I felt a major release of all that was troubling me. It was a unifying experience where I felt like there was only me and one other person in the room. This alone was comforting because I usually have trouble with performance in front of as many people there as there are. The beat, the rhythm, and especially the sound all contributed to this unifying and I felt that there weren’t any more problems. No problems with pain, no issues at work or home, no issues with anything. I could beat it into oblivion where it belongs – like nothing else matters. That’s the ultimate feeling I had…that nothing else mattered.
-Stacie Tkach
Student Saint Francis University

"Extremely engaging and enlightening; when the students finally "got it," you could see it on their faces and feel it in the room."
-Dex Tuttle
Assistant Director for Programming PA College of Technology

Uplifting, Stress-busting, Smile-making, Groove-finding . . . what more can I say? The Rhythmic Motivation drum workshop exceeded even our highest expectations. At the outset, it was clear that Jim Donovan’s deep-seeded love for drumming was going to be infectious. What was a surprise, though, was that he was able to turn a ragtag band of carpenters, timberframers, architects, engineers, and designers into a rock-solid ensemble weaving complex rhythms into a single, powerful groove.

When we first booked the drumming workshop, there was a lot of trepidation from the non-musicians in the group, and more than a little hand-wringing from some who questioned the intrinsic value of a drum workshop for a company that designs and builds houses. In the final analysis, though, the hand-drumming appealed to virtually everyone. As a part of our events committee, it was really gratifying to see all that trepidation and hand-wringing dissolve into easy smiles and confident participation.

In short, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this event to anyone, anywhere. Was it worth the investment? Unquestionably, yes! But more than that, it was just a blast. The only question now is, “When can we do it again?”
Erik Walker 
Benson Wood Wapole, NH

Feedback from staff was great.  They felt that the majority of the
students really enjoyed the presentation.  When you consider that this
place was designed to deal with the most violent, disruptive students in
the PA Juvenile Corrections system, they did pretty well.  I think that this type of programming
really enhances what we do here.
We really enjoyed having you there and we look forward to doing it
again.  
-Mike Burke
Director: Cresson Juvenile Corrections Facility

"It's obvious from his performances the Jim Donovan has a way with drums; even more impressive is his way with people.
By the end of the evening, our students were pounding out complex rhythms and having a great time doing it!"
-Dave Maslar
Director, Student Activities Broome Community College

Special Requirements:
Small PA 2 microphones/2 boom stands wireless headset preferred for one of the microphones.
Preferably indoors
Armless chairs for all participants
One 8 foot table

Would you like more information? Email us here..