NuBeat Kuching with the support of the Occupational Therapy Unit, Hospital Sentosa, conducted a free community drum circle preview on 7 December at our Dewan OT for the staff of Sentosa. Participants had fun experiencing what facilitating a community drum circle feels like and gained some insights on how to use this activity with our patients. Instruments were kindly provided by NuBeat; participants also learnt how to create rhythms and percussion sounds using ordinary household objects like buckets, empty tins, boxes filled with coins, plastic bottles etc.
A drum circle is a group of people playing hand drums and percussion in a circle. The circle is moderated by a facilitator who guides the group in rhythm and rhythm-based activities. Drum circles are an evidence-based tool for physical and mental health and wellness, and have been proven to be beneficial for relieving stress, pain and tension, anxiety and depression. They have been used in team-building and alternative therapies.
NuBeat consists of Grace and Lyndia, a mother-daughter team who are both certified VM Drum Circle graduates. They have conducted drum circle workshop previews with Nestle Adult Nutrition and Society for Cancer Advocacy and Awareness Kuching (SCAN)
