Who we are
What happens when African rhythms come, by way of Brazil, to an "All American City" like Olympa, Washington?  Samba Olywa, a thriving and joyful community samba band, is discovering the power that these enduring rhythms have to bind our community together, reaching children as well as adults.

    South Sound community members, along with local educators, musicians, social service providers, and parents, agree with our insight and have joined us.  With this expertise, we have collaborated to create South Sound Kids Drum & Dance, an organization dedicated to providing expertise, instruments, and opportunities for children to learn and perform percussion-based community music.  In this 2nd year of our program, we will be using what we know best - the samba music and dance traditions of Brazil.

Did you have fun doing this? Do you think that your students had fun? "Yes, absolutely!" "It was great fun for all of us!" "Yes!"-SSKDD Teachers

Our Mission
We support children as creative musicians, dancers, performers, and contributors to the community – drawing on culturally diverse music and dance traditions.

• Membership is open to the broadest spectrum of children, regardless of financial or transportation constraints
• Leadership is local
• Students participate at their own level of comfort
• The environment is warm and supportive, with emphasis on group achievement
• Performance is key, allowing children to share and bond with the community
• Students become mentors and leaders – a natural way to honor achievement
• Culturally diverse music adds historical richness and depth
• We honor and support artists by providing a way for them to share their gifts in a community setting

We Need VOLUNTEERS …
We invite you to join us!
We provide to Public School Teachers:
Instruments, Expertise, and
Volunteer Training Workshops
on Sundays at 1-3 pm
At Lincoln Elementary School
213 21st Ave. SE, Olympia, WA

The workshops will be led by percussionist Geoff Johns and dancer Janelle Keane, both wonderful teachers with many years' experience.

What you’d get out of it:
The thrill of being in a groove with all ages
The satisfaction of helping children to feel connected and appreciated in our community

• Learn traditional rhythms from master teachers

• Help develop performance skills

• Play and dance with children in classrooms

• Help build and gather percussion instruments

We do this in local public schools where there is a firm commitment to developing real skills in children, culminating in public performances, like the Procession of the Species in the Springtime.

"I thought it was fun to practice the samba, and I also thought the rhythm was really really cool ..." - Sophia