Drumming Voyage to Crete

Frame Drum Cultural Immersion on the island of Crete!
September 1 – 8, 2019

8 Days of Inspiring Music & Cultural delights

Join Frame Drum Specialist, Marla Leigh  and Poliana for eight luxurious music-filled days immersed in
drumming, Greek culture, music, and magic by the Mediterranean Sea!

Each day we will focus on learning a different frame drum playing style,
as well as rhythm skills, improvisation, and traditional & meditative world rhythms and two “cultural field trips”  –
as well as Greek music, dance, and song!

COME ON THIS DELICIOUS RHYTHMIC JOURNEY WITH US ..

* BRING A FRIEND SPECIAL OFFER:
Enjoy an additional $100 off  (total discount, not per person) 

“The drum is the Great Spirit’s favorite instrument. That is why we were given a heartbeat.” – Mano, Navajo Elder

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This Drumming Odyssey Includes:

 ✔ALL INCLUSIVE EIGHT DAYS – RHYTHMIC GETAWAY IN PARADISE

Paradise awaits..
Take a break out of your daily routine to focus on drumming, music, rhythm skills, wellness,
relaxing, exploring Greek culture and delicious Greek cuisine, and much more..
Invest in your rhythmic health!
Your health is your wealth!

✔ DAILY FRAME DRUM & RHYTHM SKILLS LESSONS
DRUM every day! Yes!
We welcome students of ALL levels (including beginners).
These sessions will be structured to fit the levels of the students who attend the retreat.
We will drum mostly at the retreat center, and perhaps in the Aptera village (*with the locals) and in ancient caves…
Learn frame drum technique, rhythms; Immerse yourself in this rich ancient music land and culture!

✔ MORNING GLOW!
Drumming is a physical sport!
Wake up to energizing practices!
There will be a mix of yoga classes and free time in the morning to
get your blood pumping before we begin our drumming!

 

✔ EVENING PROGRAMS
We will have special evening programs to better enrich your drumming experience
(i.e. Greek Rhythms/Song/Dancing, Shamanic-Trance Drummin….).

 

✔ GREEK CULTURAL IMMERSION ~ TWO DAYS OF FIELD TRIP ADVENTURES!
We are excited to explore the beautiful, sacred island of Crete!
We will visit the village of Aptera, drum in ancient caves, the New Museum of Eleutherna
Swim at Lake Kourna with breathtaking healing waters and other magical adventures.

✔ORGANIC GREEK FOOD!
Enjoy home-cooked food fresh from the farm!
Most of the food is organic! Greek food is delicious!

 

✔ DAILY FREE TIME TO RELAX IN RHTYHM
Our retreat is held at the beautiful ORIZON Center.
We will have use of the full center, which includes a pool, and nearby beach!

 

 

✔OPTIONAL HEALING TREATMENTS
Take your vacation to the next level…during your free time, you may
enjoy an array of healing treatments with our assistant, Poliana!

✔CLOSING CEREMONY & CONCERT
Honoring the land, culture, and music, we will share in a beautiful concert and ceremony to close our event
(open to the public)

 

 

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 WHAT OUR RETREAT PARTICIPANTS ARE SAYING
(& PLAYING!): 

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Playing Levels & Drums

ALL LEVELS WELCOME
BEGINNER PLAYERS ENCOURAGED!

• Frame Drum & Rhythm Skills Workshops will be tailored to fit the level of participants.
• If both beginner and experienced drummers attend, we will break the workshops up into two different levels!
• No matter what your level is, you will leave this retreat with a toolbox of new techniques, rhythms and inspiration

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Frame Drums

IMPORTANT: FRAME DRUMS ARE NOT PROVIDED!

• Please bring your own frame drums!
• If you are looking for a great starter drum, Marla recommends a 16” Drum, either by Cooperman CO, or Remo.
• Traveling is easy with frame drums!
• You will also be able to buy MORE drums (and other instruments) while in Crete!

COOPERMAN DRUM & 10% DISCOUNT:
Learn more about Marla’s Recommended Cooperman Frame Drums.
(To get the discount, simply email Cooperman and mention you are attending this retreat)

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About the Frame Drum

History shows us that the frame drum started as a women’s drumming tradition in ancient cultures worldwide. Shamans and high priestesses drummed for rituals, sacred rites of passages and to help induce altered states of consciousness.

In today’s society, both men and women commonly play the frame drum. It is a great accompaniment for chanting, belly dancing, drum circles, personal healing, and sound therapy. AND it is commonly used in folk, world & rock musics AND it is healthy for your body, mind, and spirit AND it is simply a lot of FUN!

“One of the most powerful aspects of drumming and the reason people have done it since the beginning of being human is that it changes people’s consciousness.  Through rhythmic repetition of ritual sounds, the body, the brain and the nervous system are energized and transformed.  – Layne Redmond

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Frame Drum Playing Styles:

The frame drum is played in three styles, lap, upright and free hand.
We will explore learning how to play in all of these styles during this retreat

LAP STYLE

 

FREE HAND STYLE WITH SOLKATTU!

 

UPRIGHT STYLE

 

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Greek Food

GREEK ORGANIC FOOD – YES!
One of the best things about Greece is their food – fresh, local and simply delicious. (and mostly organic!!!)

• We will eat fresh, local food “Greek Style” –
• There are three meals per day provided in the retreat 
• All meals provided in the retreat,  (except one lunch and two dinners on our field trip days that participants pay for)

YOUR DIETARY NEEDS:
If you would like all vegetarian meals, or have any other food requirements, please let us know in the welcome survey will send a few weeks before retreat starts!

READ ABOUT THE FOOD AT ORIZON CENTER...(Yum!)

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Our Day Trips

Day Trip 1

One of the highlights of this DRUMMING VOYAGE is to visit and be inspired by Greek Culture!

VISIT ANCIENT THEATER OF APTERA  (pic above)

We visit the beautiful Ancient theatre of Aptera 
Enjoy a lovely walk through this powerful, ancient theater & grounds.

DINNER & NIGHT OUT IN THE LOCAL  VILLAGE OF CHANIA CITY

Enjoy a leisure evening out in the gorgeous seaside village of Chania City.
Dinner… Drumming.. and …Delight…

We may also see live traditional Cretan music performance.. MAGIC AWAITS…

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Day Trip 2

 

PART 1
A beautiful 1.5 hour drive through the island, will lead us to the Archeological site & new museum of Eleutherna
(special place related to the bee goddess!) 

PART 2
In the afternoon, we will visit a beautiful Lake (Lake Kourna).. where we will relax, swim, drum, daydream…
We will also look for a cave to have a drum ceremony in!

PART 3
Day concludes with a leisurely drive back,  dinner (dinner may be at hotel or on route back somewhere, TBA) ..

 

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Retreat Location

Our retreat is held at the beautiful Orizon Center (by the beach!)
We will have use of the full center,
which includes a pool, and nearby beach!

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Accommodations

Our retreat accommodations are in two different locations.
We have single, double room options (all apartments!!)

Since it is high season in Crete, Space is Limited.
If you hear the call to join, please do not hesitate to sign up.  Thank you

Studio Apartment

Single Room Studio Apartments

✔ CURRENTLY ONLY 3  SINGLE “APARTMENTS” AVAILABLE @ APTERA HOTEL

All Apartments Include:

• One Bed (Queen)
• Private Bathroom
• Kitchen (that you will not need to use!)
• Air Condition
• Pictures are of the old studios, all will be renovated by 2019!

DETAILS FOR SINGLE ROOM APARTMENTS:

1 – Single Room Apartments with Private Bath are located in  Aptera Hotel (in a cute Greek Village, 5 min drive from Retreat center!)

PLEASE BOOK THROUGH US, NOT THE HOTELS
It is high season, and we have reserved rooms for everyone at a discounted rate !

2 – All workshops for the retreat will be at the ORIZON Center

3 –  For those staying at Aptera Hotel,
~ Breakfast is included at the hotel  (all other meals will be at Orizon Center)
~ Our host will pick you up every morning (after breakfast)  – and take you to the Retreat Center.
We will pay for taxi’s to take you back in the evening (aprox 5 min drive)

4-  For those staying at the Aptera hotel,  you are ONLY sleeping at eating breakfast there…
You can bring your things (drums ect) with you for the day, and leave it in our (safe) Workshop space, as well as hang out in the workshop space, and surrounding grounds (pool, beach) during the free time. Of course, your welcome to go back to your apartment during the breaks too! 

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Single Occupancy – Shared Bath Apartment:

✔ CURRENTLY ONLY 3  SINGLE ROOMS   (in One Apartment) @ APTERA HOTEL

Apartment Includes:

• Two Private Rooms
• One Shared Bath
• Kitchen (that you will not need to use!)
• Air Condition
• Pictures are of the old apartments,  all will be renovated by Sept 2019!

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MALE RETREAT ENTHUSIASTS:  
Most of my retreats have a few men, but men are warmly welcomed.
Therefore, if you are interested in coming to this as a solo traveler, please sign up for a Single Room. 
Why? Many women feel uncomfortable sharing rooms with men they do not know. Thank you for your understanding!

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Sitting area outside

Double Occupancy -Shared Bath Apartment:

✔ DOUBLE ROOM APARTMENTS –  CURRENTLY  4  SPACES AVAILABLE (2  Apartments)!

Perfect for solo travelers who would like to share a room, or friends coming together!

Double Shared Room Apartments will be at the Orizon Center – which is where the retreat is located!

APARTMENT FEATURE

• Apartments have either one or two rooms in it 
• Two Beds Per Room 
• Kitchen
• Shared Bathroom
• Living Room/Sitting Area
• Outside Sitting Are
• CLICK HERE FOR PICS OF THE APARTMENTS!

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Rhythm Lounge -Shared Bath Apartment:

RHYTHM LOUNGE is ONE BIG APARTMENT with  3  Shared Rooms (2 people/beds to a room) and one Bathroom!

The Rhythm Lounge is at the Orizon Center – which is where the retreat is located

RHYTHM LOUNGE FEATURES

• Two Beds Per Room (3 rooms in total) 
• Kitchen
• Shared Bathroom
• Living Room/Sitting Area
• Outside Sitting Area 

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Travel Information

AIRPORT:
The airport to fly into is Chania International Airport (Ioannis Daskalogiannis) with code CHQ

GETTING TO  YOUR HOTEL & RETREAT CENTER
From the airport, at the exit, you can easily find or call a taxi/shuttle.

THREE OPTIONS:

1 – TAXI (around 30 euro, not bad!!) – MORE INFO

2. SHUTTLE ORDER ONLINE (various prices but also reasonable) – MORE INFO

3. CAR RENTAL 
Car Rental (there will be free time every day, if you wish to get a car rental and do some additional sightseeing)

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FOR YOUR GPS/TAXI – DIRECTIONS TO YOUR LODGING:

APTERA HOTEL:
 Aptera Hotel – is located in the village of Aptera

> Directions via GPS – CLICK HERE FOR GOOGLE MAP

*You can check in as early as 3pm on September 1, 2019

 

ORIZON CENTER:

Orizon center is located in the town Taverna Akrimios

>Directions via GP – For Gps, it should say  “Taverna Akrimios” – CLICK HERE FOR GOOGLE MAP

*You can check in as early as 4pm on September 1, 2019

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Where to Meet!

ALL WORKSHOPS ARE AT THE ORIZON CENTER

If you are staying in Aptera Hotel, please take a taxi and meet us at the Orizon Center at 6:30pm on Sept 1. (5 minutes/Aprox 5 euro).  You can are welcome to arrive as early as 4pm 

We will pay for the remainder of your taxi’ to and from hotel after that!
Here is the link for GPS for Orizon Center to give to the Taxi driver!

We will go over this info again in the welcome email you receive before the retreat!

FOR YOUR  PLANNING:

*RETREAT STARTS
at 6:30 p.m. on  September 1, 2019 (meet for dinner), but you can arrive as early as 4pm

* RETREAT ENDS
at 3 pm on September 8 (retreat after lunch)

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>> IF YOU WANT TO ARRIVE EARLIER OR STAY LATER…(Highly  Recommended)

We suggest you book an Airbnb nearby in Aptera or in Chania City.
It is not possible to stay longer/arrive earlier at the hotels we are using for this retreat!

Please Get Travel Insurance!

Travel Insurance is not included.
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your trip investment against any unforeseen circumstance before or during your retreat.  

By signing up for our retreat, you are agreeing to either get travel insurance or be responsible for whatever may happen if you do not get the insurance. Thank you

We love World Nomads Travel Insurance
You can also find many options at SquareMouth.com or Travel Gaurd!

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Questions?
We have Answers!

Poliana is our lovely assistant for this retreat.
She is Greek and can answer any of your questions regarding Greece and the retreat

If you have any questions, please EMAIL POLIANA (not Marla)  at this address:

EMAIL:
greeceretreat2019@gmail.com

We look forward to this special retreat with you in the magic music paradise of Crete!
An experience of a lifetime!

 

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Your Facilitators:

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