Ynglyn

Hello, I’m Colin Daimond—a musician, dancer, and educator with over 30 years’ experience working with people through music and movement.
 
I was always interested in music growing up, but it was pivotal when I attended my first Hand-drumming workshop in 1994. Being witness and participant to the sense of connection within a room full of strangers stuck me instantly as a avenue for exploring wellbeing, communication skills and social cohesion.

Within a few months I was part of a grassroots community team determined to inject vibrancy and culture into Noth Wales events. In the early days there were few Brazilian instruments available so we used what was to hand – improvising with household pans, buckets and all manner of Junk or “World” Percussion. My first community music organisation Samba Bangor was formally established in 1995. Since then music, community and artistic collaboration have been at the heart of everything I do.

Whilst completing a degree in Physics shared between Salford in England and Kaiserlautern in Germany, I both ran my own workshops and was an active member of local carnival bands. The interest in culture and the connection between physicality and musicality led me to take up Capoeira in 1997.

Capoeira is an artform recognized as “Intangible culutral Heritage” by UNESCO, my practice and qualifiactions in Capoeira have given me a grounded perspective on the nature of heritage, traditions, colonisation, commercialisation and innovation. The practice of Capoeira also led on to collaboration with other dance forms in clubs and festivals in Manchester and choregographic and contemporary work in North Wales. Having parallel studies of disciplined Capoeira training alongside the flamboyant creativity of Carnival projects provides insight and unique experience of the Arts as a tool for broader education and personal empowerment.

My work is anchored by an authentic and a principled philosophy which balances two core beliefs:

Respect and sustainablity: To honour and teach the cultural heritage of any music and artforms I practice. I strongly believe in understanding and connecting to the traditions that produce the music and artforms we enjoy. I have spent a significant amount of time in Brazil and Cuba immersing myself in their respective cultures and learning from respected masters of capoeira, samba, and Cuban drumming.

Innovation, collabortation and Creativity. To use the Arts to empower each individual to think indepedently and explore ideas bodly. To recognise that each situation is unique but that skills can be transferrable.

Since 2002 my work within this ethos revolves around:

• Delivering corporate team building activities in the UK and Europe
• Devising cross-curriculuar educational projects and providing music, dance or well-being curriculums for all key stages
• Offering SEN music and movement provision
• Managing and producing Carnivals, Theatre shows and outdoor spectaculars
• Freelance performance work in all settings as a Percussionist and Movement Artist
• Providing opportunites for all communities to engage with and celebrate global cultural manifestations.

You can find more detail and examples of my work in Wales, across the UK and internationally in Brazil, Kenya, the USA on the projects page. I am based in North Wales, but wherever I am, my work always has the same goal: to help people of all ages and backgrounds connect, create, and thrive through music and dance. If you are looking for creative experiences grounded in culture, get in touch …