Saragail & her Druppet (Drum/Puppet)
JEWISH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & EDUCATION
Temple Sinai, South Burlington, VT
Director Young Families Programming–2020-present
Hebrew School teacher, Kindergarden to 1st grade–2016-present
Music Teacher K-4–2016-present
Leader of monthly family education events–2016-present
Westchester Jewish Center, Mamaroneck, NY—1994-2004
Pre-school music specialist
EARLY CHILDHOOD to POST-GRADUATE LEVEL MUSIC & ENRICHMENT—1988-present
Organizations:
Edge Kids & Fitness, Essex Junction, VT–2019-2021
Lincoln Center Education
Westchester Council on the Arts
Independent contractor—under my own umbrella
Public and private schools and universities all over the USA
Summer Camps all over the USA
Early Childhood centers and schools all over Westchester County, NY
Living Tree Alliance, Moretown, VT
Programs:
Arts in Education Design and Implementation
Curriculum Enrichment Design and Implementation
Staff Development—empowering non-arts personnel to lead art programs
Celebration
Assemblies
Residencies
Entertainment
Jewish Music Specialist
Areas of focus:
Group Drumming—I lead events where everyone gets a drum, everyone plays. I can work with groups of 12-500.
Vocal Music
Musical Theater
Musical Storytelling
World Music
PRODUCER, DIRECTOR, COMPOSER, LYRICIST, VOCALIST, ANIMATION ART—2014
Saragail’s Playalong App—DEEP DOWN—This project grew out of years of working with group drumming with people of all ages dealing with cancer and other challenges. I wrote a song based on these experiences, and organized community volunteers to participate in making a live action and animated video of it to benefit kids with cancer. I designed a playalong app to be used with my video or any YouTube video. It’s free on my website, so that anyone, anywhere, anytime, can access the therapeutic joy of group drumming. The project is being used by many hospital Child Life departments all over the USA. www.SaragailBenjamin.com/Playalong-App
CORPORATE TEAMBUILDING DRUM CIRCLES—2000-present
I provide customized teambuilding and leadership drum circles for groups ranging in size from 12 to 500 participants. Everyone gets a drum to play. Totally interactive. Joyful and fun, the drumming serves as a powerful metaphor to help clients meet their training goals.
Reebok-Adidas
Sanofi Pasteur
Reckitt Benckiser
Deloitte
(Full client list available on request.)
EARLY CHILDHOOD to POST-GRADUATE LEVEL MUSIC & ENRICHMENT—1988-present
Organizations:
Edge Kids & Fitness, Essex Junction, VT–2019-present
Lincoln Center Education
Westchester Council on the Arts
Independent contractor—under my own umbrella
Public and private schools and universities all over the USA
Summer Camps all over the USA
Early Childhood centers and schools all over Westchester County, NY
Living Tree Alliance, Moretown, VT
Programs:
Arts in Education Design and Implementation
Curriculum Enrichment Design and Implementation
Staff Development—empowering non-arts personnel to lead art programs
Celebration
Assemblies
Residencies
Entertainment
Jewish Music Specialist
Areas of focus:
Group Drumming—I lead events where everyone gets a drum, everyone plays. I can work with groups of 12-500.
Vocal Music
Musical Theater
Musical Storytelling
World Music
DRUMMING FOR SENIORS—2013-present
I work with people up to 101 years old, dealing with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, dementia, and other challenges of aging
Equinox, Manchester, VT—2013-1015
Pillsbury Manor South, Burlington, VT—2016 to present
Pillsbury Manor North, St. Albans, VT–2016-2017
Allenwood Senior Residence, Burlington, VT–016-2017
JEWISH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & EDUCATION
Temple Sinai, South Burlington, VT
Director Young Families Programming–2020-present
Hebrew School teacher, Kindergarden to 1st grade–2016-present
Music Teacher K-4 Hebrew School–2016-present
Leader of monthly family education events–2016-present
Westchester Jewish Center, Mamaroneck, NY—1994-2004
Pre-school music specialist
SPECIAL NEEDS GROUP DRUMMING—2000-present
I work with people dealing with cancer, multiple sclerosis, blindness, cancer, muscular dystrophy, and other illnesses.
PIANIST, VOCALIST, MUSICAL THEATER ACTRESS—1975-1986
Performed in piano bars, cabarets, and clubs all over NYC, Off-Broadway, and in summer stock
COMPOSER/LYRICIST—1975-present
DEEP DOWN song for music video/app
THE FURNISHED ROOM–book, music, lyrics. Produced: NYC, San Francisco
THE ALEXANDRIA MUNICIPAL READING LIBRARY–book, music, lyrics.
Produced: NYC, Houston, TX, toured TX. Published: Samuel French.
Individual Songs–music, lyrics. Performed all over US
AUTHOR-1994
MY DOG ATE IT. Hardcover—Holiday House and Weekly Reader. Paperback—Scholastic. Included in the Scholastic Book Club.
EDUCATION and TRAINING
Arthur Hull—2001-20015. I’ve studied drum circle facilitation extensively with Arthur Hull, leader of the international drum circle community. A highlight, I attended his 2015, 20th annual weeklong training session in Hawaii.
Dr. Barry Bittman—2004. Dr. Bittman is the developer of Remo Drums HealthRhythms clinically proven stress reduction protocol—I was trained by Dr. Bittman to lead this protocol.
Teambuilding & Leadership—2006. Cornell School of Labor and IndustrialRelations
Musical Theater Writing–12 year member of BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theater Writing Workshop
BA Sarah Lawrence College—1975
