In Arabic music, the drum doesn’t keep time - it tells stories, stirs emotion, and calls the dancer home. Doumbek Technique and Rhythms is your authentic entry into Middle Eastern percussion, taught by Amir Naoum, New York’s most respected Arab percussionist and former Beirut Music Academy instructor. Designed for both dancers and drummers, this program demystifies 12 core rhythms - from Baladi to Masmoudi - with real-time onscreen syllabic notation, cultural context, and performance variations used by professionals. For dancers, this is rhythmic fluency; for drummers, it’s a culturally grounded foundation. Either way, you’re learning from a maestro who’s played with the greats - and taught generations of NYC belly dancers how to truly listen.

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Learn Middle Eastern Drumming from a Master!

Created by Amir Naoum, New York’s most beloved Arab percussionist and former instructor at Beirut’s top music academy, this program is the definitive beginner-friendly entry into doumbek (darbuka/tabla) technique—crafted for both dancers seeking rhythm fluency and beginning drummers hungry for authentic Middle Eastern percussion.

Why this program stands apart from so many percussion tutorials:
✅ Taught by a true maestro: Amir Naoum’s deep roots in Arab musical tradition—and his decades of collaboration with NYC belly dancers—make him uniquely qualified to teach rhythm to both drummers and dancers
✅ Syllabic notation in real time: Watch on-screen notation displayed onscreen as Amir plays
✅ 12 core rhythms, with historical + modern variations:
 • Malfouf, Ayoub, Maksoum 
 • Baladi (old-school + slap/pop variations)
 • Saiidi (rural “old-fashioned” + urban “City Saiidi” with 6 variations)
 • Soumbati (“Bambi”), Masmoudi, Ciftetelli—with fills, pops, and phrasing used in real performance
✅ Dancer-focused insights: Learn to recognize rhythms even in complex arrangements—so you can improvise with confidence

Ideal for:
🔹 Belly dancers who want to hear, feel, and respond to live percussion—not just count beats
🔹 New drummers seeking a clear, culturally grounded foundation in Arabic rhythm
🔹 Teachers and choreographers building rhythm literacy in their students

In Arabic music, the doumbek doesn’t just keep time—it tells stories, stirs emotion, and calls the dancer home. With Amir Naoum as your guide, you don’t just learn to play—you learn to listen like a dancer and speak like a drummer.

Instant streaming or premium DVD. Filmed in New York City.

Why learn from World Dance New York?
For over 25 years, World Dance New York has been the trusted authority in women’s solo dance education—pioneering accessible, body-positive, and artistically rich instruction that has shaped generations of dancers worldwide. We collaborate only with master artists who honor tradition, precision, and musical integrity. Every program is a complete learning system—designed to connect you to the living pulse of global dance culture.