Drummer, dancer, director

By Michael Whiticker

THIS Is the fifth in a series of monthly articles embracing the offerings of some of the great musicians who live in our region.

Pascale Richy is a dual artist – a drummer, by which she is well known amongst musicians, but also a dancer. Both have been integral to her art for so many years now that she doesn’t question whether she is more one or the other.

That all began for her in her midtwenties here in Maleny, but the genesis for her career was the influence of her mother, a ballet dancer who long after her professional career had ended in Europe, with young children in tow, continued her daily practice here in Australia.

Pascale had little interest in her mother’s classical ballet, but the jazz ballet classes she took, were much more up her alley. That led to Pascale undertaking teacher training in the performing arts in Victoria where she had her first taste of African music and dance.

Soon after she arrived in Maleny and as classes in middle eastern dance and drumming were on offer, she leapt at the opportunity to partake. From this point her focus became a double major with drumming integral to her dancing.

As a single mother, travel was limited, so once middle eastern dance was no longer offered locally, she started leading her own group as a means of keeping her practice up. She was so keen to continue developing as an artist, she even took her 10-year-old son to Egypt and Africa on a study tour with her.

Today over 20 years later, her art still inspires her – it builds energy and joy and is a beautiful form of physical and emotional expression she says.

Interestingly Pascale works as a naturopath “by day”. She finds the two –art through movement and sound, and health through naturopathy, are bound together.

Even as a teenager she was aware that traditional western medicine didn’t have the answers for a good healthy lifestyle. The seeds were being sown then for the lifestyle choices she has made, and today, many years later, she assures me that the physical demands of dancing and drumming wouldn’t have been doable without her holistic approach to health. It has been a lifelong lifestyle choice.

In recent years she has extended her expression as an artist as well. Choreography is now becoming more prominent in her work with her ensemble, Mama Buluku.

It is a natural development for her as she sees limits in how far and how hard she wants to push herself to meet the intensity of dancing. Further, passing skills and knowledge onto the younger dancers and their children within her group, is also a natural progression for her – encouraging others to realise their potential has become a motivating force in her work as an artist.

“We need to have vibrant and active lives,” she says.

The responsibilities and expectations the average person faces today seem to take them down the opposite path. Perhaps playing music and dancing might be the key for more of them? This is the message she wants to pass on.

Make time for activity in your life. Don’t let the limits of age, gender or culture hamper you. Gain freedom and energy by being in the positive place that music and dance can provide for you she suggests. They are true medicines and those of us that practice them daily know it.

Thank you, Pascale, – long may you lead as a drummer, dancer and director!

Catch Pascale with her ensemble, Mama Buluku, in performance at Muzika at Maleny RSL on Thursday February 2.

Michael has a recording studio in Peachester. If you would like to find out more contact him on 0419 026 895 or E: mwhitick@bigpond.net.au

Glasshouse Musos at Beerwah Hotel: second Tuesday of the month, 6 – 9pm http://www.facebook.com/groups/musosclub/ Muzika, Maleny at Maleny RSL: first Thursday of the month 6.30 - 9pm https://www.facebook.com/MuzikaMaleny/