Rhythm Celebration

This electrifying show features Turkish style darbuka/dumbek drumming. The ensemble performs intricate and dazzling compositions comprised of rhythms from Turkey, Egypt, Iran and India as well as funk, samba and hip hop beats. A treat for the eyes as well as the ears, this show is carefully choreographed with many theatrical elements and some audience participation.

In addition to the drumming pieces, the show includes Raquy’s dreamy melodic pieces. In these songs Raquy plays the mystical 12 – stringed King Kemenche Tarhu, a futuristic version of the Persian spike fiddle.

DÜM is thrilled to collaborate with legendary Uzbeki drummer Abbos Kosimov!

$20 bucks suggested donation and noone turned away for lack of full donation

Raquy Danziger
Raquy Danziger is a celebrated performer, teacher, and composer known worldwide for her expertise on the dumbek, or darbuka, the Middle-Eastern goblet drum. Hailing from unlikely Western roots, Raquy has distinguished herself as a unique phenomenon and earned a place of renown in the genre. She has collaborated and performed with some of the most famous Middle Eastern drummers in the world and has given concerts and workshops across the USA, Canada, The Middle East, Asia, Europe, Russia and South America.

Now based in Istanbul, Turkey, Raquy specializes in the Turkish Split Hand Technique. This style was born twenty years ago when the Turkish drummers began splitting the hand, thus attaining unprecedented speed and dexterity. In 2012 Raquy opened her “Darbuka Ofis” in downtown Istanbul, where she trains daily under the direction of her teachermaster drummer Bunyamin Olguncan. Her Ofis has become a center for drumming., attracting drummers from all over the world who flock to Istanbul to learn from Raquy and Bunyamin.

In addition to the dumbek, Raquy also plays the twelve- string Kemenche Tarhu, a rare and exotic bowed instrument, designed after the Iranian spike fiddle. She currently studies the kemenche with Iranian kemenche master Arlsan Hazreti in Istanbul. Raquy has composed over thirty melodic pieces and for the kemenche as well as countless drumming pieces which she plays in her concerts and which can be heard in the nine albums she has released.

She has had the honor of performing several times in Egypt as a soloist with Said El Artist (The Egyptian "King of Tabla") and his drumming orchestra at the Cairo Opera House, the Alexandria Opera House, the Cairo Citadel, the historic Ewart Hall in downtown Cairo, and the Great Hall in the Bibliotheque in Alexandria. In 2005, she was the recipient of the Meet the Composer grant, which enabled her to perform her original composition with Said El Artist's orchestra in Egypt. Raquy has appeared on Good Morning Egypt, Leila Kebira, O TV, the Culture Channel,Turkish Television, Arabs Got Talent, and has been interviewed on Al Gezira.

Abbos Kosimov
Abbos Kosimov is widely appreciated as an international phenomenon; through his dynamic performances, He is recognized globally as a master of doyra and an ambassador of Uzbek culture.

He has recorded independently as well as with R&B singer Steve Wonder and with Zakir Hussain and Master of Percussion and for the soundtrack of Alonzo Kings new Lines Ballet piece “A Thousand and One Nights” which premiered in Monte Carlo in November 2009.

Most recently, in March 2010 Abbos performed at Carnegie Hall with Kronos Quartet, Dohee Lee, Homayoun Sakhi and Alim Qasimov Ensemble, Omar Sosa Giovanni Hidalgo, Terry Bozzio,Swapan Chaudhuri,Steve Smith, Hand Ensemble, Adam Rudolph and other famous musicians.

Lady Bruce
Lady Bruce is a percussive dancer, teacher, choreographer and musician from Callander, Ontario. In 1999, Ariel began studying Ottawa Valley stepdance with Chad Wolfe of North Bay, Ontario. She excelled quickly under Wolfe's tutelage and began dancing competitively within the first year of her studies. Throughout her competitive career, Ariel distinguished herself as one of the youngest Canadian champions to ever emerge, winning top honours from the age of 13 until her retirement, including several years as the Ontario Open Champion, as well as winning the prestigious Pembroke Open Stepdance Championship.

Since turning professional at the age of 14, she has performed at many of Ontario's major folk festivals. Ariel has been a guest performer at theatres and venues across the province with artists such as Everything Fitz, Shane Cook, Ashley MacIsaac, Yves Lambert and Brian Hebert.

After retiring from competition, Ariel began exploring tap dance, learning how to improvise and expand her rhythmic vocabulary. Two years later, she began experimenting with her own unique fusion style, which incorporated elements of Ottawa Valley stepdance, tap dance and world percussion, which she then showcased at festivals including Summerfolk Music Festival in Owen Sound, Ontario and Celtic Colours on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.

In 2013 and 2014, she traveled to Istanbul, Turkey to work with Raquy Danziger on a project which adapted Turkish rhythms for the percussive dance medium. Ariel began studying darbuka under Raquy at the same time. She received full funding for this project from the Canada Council for the Arts.
Ariel continues to strive for development as an artist, seeking new ways to delve further into the rhythmic aspect of percussive dance.