About Heidrun Hoffmann

HEIDRUN HOFFMANN

Heidrun Hoffmann is not only an inspiring teacher, but also an outstanding solo performer. She has participated in various concert projects and is experienced in ensemble play. She has created a unique blend of dance, drumming, and singing that bridges contemporary dance, traditional movement styles, and Japanese Taiko techniques. She is the founder of DiRRiD (Dance in Rhythm-Rhythm in Dance), which is a non-strenuous and playful way to learn rhythm with the whole body through movement and dance, drumming and voice. She offers workshops and classes that are movement journeys through landscapes of rhythm which build flexibility, strength, clarity and confidence. DiRRiD events bring a deeper understanding of The Body Oracle Cards, and often help people access their body as a personal counselor.

"I'm a dancer in my heart,
a drummer in this life,
and a teacher with great pleasure."

Very early in life I discovered my passion for dance and the desire to teach movement. I trained in the European tradition of movement, health calisthenics, modern dance, and improvisation. Over ten years I was involved with the TaKeTiNa rhythm work and was trained as a Rhythm Therapist with R. Flatischer and Dr. Wolf Büntig. During this time I also discovered my love for ethnic dances and studied traditional Brazilian Samba in Rio de Janeiro and traditional North Indian Kathak in Bombay. 1982 I began studying percussion and various drums with Reinhard Flatischler. The Korean Sam Buk and Changgo drums became my main tools of expressing rhythm together with dance. All of this has had a great influence in developing my own method of teaching dance and rhythm. 1986 I began offering workshops and trainings in Germany in DiRRiD – Dance in Rhythm - Rhythm in Dance. I have lived in California since 1994 and joined San Jose Taiko, a performance group that combines traditional and contemporary dance and drumming. Taiko drumming had a liberating influence on my style of drumming and I highly value it.

After the birth of my son in 2001, I joined the SINGING WOOD Marimba Ensemble, playing traditional and contemporary high-energy polyrhythmic trance and dance music from Zimbabwe.

It was an exciting time developing The Body Oracle Cards and Book, A Key for Unfolding the Dance and Rhythm of Your Life, which turns out to be a great teaching tool for my own classes, workshops and private lessons, as well as for teaching at schools as a SPECTRA artist.

For more details, please download my Curriculum Vitae.