His shows vary from beginners’ drumming tutorials and workshops in small or large groups, to elaborate performances staged at festivals and public events around the UK.

By first helping each participant to master a set of simple African rhythms, Mike uses this ancient vocabulary to create a powerful sense of unity; a place where willing and loyal membership of the group is balanced by a total freedom to express individuality.

Thanks partly to his performing arts background in Chicago which embraced both theatre and music, Mike is just as effective and fluent in the workplace, among executives and staff on every level, as he is bringing warmth, vibrancy and out-and-out FUN into the lives of children, as well as their teachers and parents.

From international conferences to private parties, the power Mike McElya and his African drums unleash is a blast of pure human energy: creative, reinvigorating and unforgettable.