Center of the Circle

Drum Circle Facilitator's Guild
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Alternative Health
  • Updated Monthly

Brought to you by the Drum Circle Facilitator's Guild, the Center of the Circle podcast is where rhythm meets real life. Join drum circle facilitators, musicians, educators, and therapists as we explore how group drumming builds connection, sparks healing, and creates powerful community. Through honest conversations and inspiring stories, you’ll discover how rhythm can transform the way you lead, teach, and live—no musical experience required. Whether you’re behind a drum or just curious, there’s a place for you in the circle.

Episodes

  1. Jun 1

    Passion, Pulse, Pioneer: Arthur Hull and the Birth of the Modern Drum Circle

    What if one person helped spark a global movement through rhythm?In this episode, we sit down with Arthur Hull—the pioneer who helped bring drum circles to the world.Welcome back to Center of the Circle — where rhythm meets leadership, connection, and community.In this episode, we sit down with the legendary Arthur Hull — widely known as the father of the modern drum circle and founder of Village Music Circles.Arthur shares unforgettable stories from his life journey — from early musical influences and unexpected gigs to his time with Babatunde Olatunji and the explosion of rhythm culture across the United States.You’ll hear:How drum circles evolved into a global movementThe origins of facilitation as we know it todayThe intersection of music, therapy, and educationReal-world lessons on adaptability, leadership, and communityWhat Arthur would do differently if starting todayWhether you're a facilitator, musician, therapist, or simply someone drawn to rhythm, this conversation is packed with wisdom, humor, and inspiration.👉 Subscribe, follow, and share to help grow the global rhythm community.🔗 Links & Resources🌐 Drum Circle Facilitators Guild: 🌍 Village Music Circles: 🎧 Listen on Spotify: [INSERT LINK]📺 Watch on YouTube: [INSERT LINK]📱 Follow on Facebook: [INSERT LINK]🧠 Topics Covered Arthur Hull, drum circles, group drumming, rhythm facilitation, music therapy, community drumming, Village Music Circles, Drum Circle Facilitators Guild, Babatunde Olatunji, Drums of Passion, rhythm leadership, facilitation techniques, hand drumming, drum circle history⏱️ Timestamps0:00 Intro and welcome1:22 Hosts reflect on their wide-ranging conversation4:00 Introducing Arthur Hull5:00 Gratitude for the journey5:45 First time playing a drum7:57 A surprising first music teacher9:30 Early group music experiences (Rainbow Gatherings)12:00 First real drum experiences on the beach12:55 Musical roots beyond drum circles19:09 First gig — Hell’s Angels and a rabbit23:35 Meeting Babatunde Olatunji25:25 Drums of Passion and a turning point29:13 “The Mallet”… Boom31:11 Re-release of Drum Circle Spirit34:05 Founding Village Music Circles37:55 What Arthur still wants to learn42:00 Rebuilding a drum kit from scratch (feat. Remo)51:35 Gratitude to listeners and Arthur52:20 Arthur’s closing encouragement53:15 Call to Groove54:40 Outro💬 What was your biggest takeaway from Arthur Hull’s story?🤷‍♂️ Who would you like to see on the show next?🎧 Be sure to follow, like, and subscribe so you never miss an episode of Center of the Circle.

    55 min

  2. May 13

    Circle, Connection, Calling: Finding Your Rhythm Together

    Welcome to the pilot episode of Center of the Circle — a podcast dedicated to sharing stories of leadership, connection, and personal growth through group drumming and rhythm facilitation. In this episode, hosts Chris, Cindy, and Diana dive into their first experiences with drumming, the journeys that brought them to this work, and the powerful role rhythm plays in building community and healing. You’ll hear stories of: First drum circle experiences (including a chance meeting with Babatunde Olatunji)Finding your “tribe” through rhythm and communityUsing drumming in therapy, education, and everyday lifeWhy accessibility matters more than musical abilityThe mission behind this podcast and what’s aheadWe also welcome special guest Josh Dunigan, president of the Drum Circle Facilitators Guild, to share his journey, insights, and hopes for the future of rhythm facilitation. 🎬 Plus: A powerful documentary feature, Rhythms of Healing, created by Aayas D. Joshi and Xiomara Euceda Gomez. 🌐 Drum Circle Facilitators Guild: https://dcfg.net🎧 Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/033g2PaVV0xj0djjkUAFRm📺 YouTube: http://youtube.com/@centerofthecircle📱 Follow the show: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583559118406Drum circles, group drumming, rhythm facilitation, music therapy, community healing, leadership through rhythm, DCFG, drum circle facilitator training, hand drumming, rhythm and wellness, Arthur Hull, community building through music 0:00 Intro and Welcome3:06 Diana’s first memory of group drumming4:30 Cindy’s transformative drum circle journey5:25 Chris discovers the djembe — “it just made sense”6:45 First facilitated experiences + meeting Babatunde Olatunji8:00 Community over chops — the lesson that changed everything9:00 Finding your tribe through rhythm12:10 Music vs. health — how people come to drumming13:05 Discovering the Drum Circle Facilitators Guild14:37 Drumming as a therapeutic tool15:30 Meet the hosts: backgrounds and perspectives17:30 What this team brings to the table19:50 Why we’re doing this podcast22:55 Raising awareness for accessible music-making24:20 Unity through rhythm26:00 Upcoming guest: Arthur Hull27:45 Join us on the journey — follow the show29:45 Cindy’s powerful story of loss and healing31:27 Rhythms of Healing documentary feature37:45 Welcome Josh Dunigan40:00 First drumming memories41:30 Growing up with rhythm42:35 First drum circle experience46:10 Bridging tradition and improvisation47:35 What facilitation looks like today50:00 Avoiding burnout and staying present51:10 Finding the Drum Circle Facilitators Guild53:40 Join the Guild + annual conference54:30 Vision for the future of the show57:20 The value of long-form conversation59:30 Closing + gratitude — “1…2…Let’s All Play!” 💬 What questions do you have for Arthur Hull? Drop them in the comments—we may include them in the episode! 🎧 Follow Center of the Circle and join a growing global community built around rhythm, connection, and shared human experience.

    1 hr
  • 2 Episodes

About

Brought to you by the Drum Circle Facilitator's Guild, the Center of the Circle podcast is where rhythm meets real life. Join drum circle facilitators, musicians, educators, and therapists as we explore how group drumming builds connection, sparks healing, and creates powerful community. Through honest conversations and inspiring stories, you’ll discover how rhythm can transform the way you lead, teach, and live—no musical experience required. Whether you’re behind a drum or just curious, there’s a place for you in the circle.

Information

  • Creator
    Drum Circle Facilitator's Guild
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    2
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Drum Circle Facilitator's Guild
  • Show Website
    Center of the Circle