For more than 15 years, master drummer Pape Diouf has been teaching the rhythms and history of West African drumming to any Angelenos who want to learn. Every Sunday, he leads an outdoor class in Leimert Park — a class that has continued to grow even during the pandemic.

What You Need To Know

  • For more than 15 years, master drummer Pape Diouf has been teaching the rhythms and history of West African drumming to Angelenos 

  • Every Sunday he leads an outdoor class in Leimert Park, a class that has continued to grow even during the pandemic

  • Diouf’s drumming follows patterns of vibrations that are meant for healing

  • Dance classes are held every Saturday at 11 a.m., and Pape's Little Village meets every Sunday at 2 p.m.

Papa Diouf has improvised space for anyone, no matter what their level is.

"Some people want to learn about the culture; some people want to learn the technique, and how to have fun. I can tell you one by one, who is interested in learning the culture, the drumming, and history," said master drummer Pape Diouf.

As his classes began to grow, Diouf started to combine dance and drumming.

"We're dancing to the drums, and the drums are playing for us. Each movement my teacher taught me is like a word," said the founder of Daansekou Arts Collective, Daunté Fyall.

Two months into the pandemic, Fyall decided he wanted to hold socially distanced dance classes outdoors.

"We went outside, and the class was enormous, but everyone was distanced, and everyone respected each other's distance. It was that feeling all over again, but we just adjusted to the change. What Pape is teaching us, these patterns of vibrations that are meant for healing. If your leg is hurting, they will play drums to your legs; if you're depressed, they'll put you in a circle and pray for you. We have to continue to be a source of stability and consistency for this community, no matter what," said Fyall.

Community members say there have been a lot of new people attending classes since Juneteenth.

"Every week I see new people, and I love that. And, we have people who have taken classes for almost 15 years, and they never miss it," added Diouf.

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"The beauty of this language is that there is no written history, so it is passed down orally. Something so fragile yet so powerful has been able to make it thousands and thousands of years. I can play a rhythm, I can sing a song that was played thousands of years ago, and it still is the same today. This language cannot grow if it's not shared, so come to class," said Tanee Osborne, a drummer at Pape's Little Village.

If you're interested in learning more about West African drum and dance, head to the heart of Leimert Park on Degnan Boulevard. Dance classes are held every Saturday at 11, and Pape's Little Village meets every Sunday at 2 p.m.