WOMEN WHO GROOVE
Founded 2008
Women Who Groove is a dynamic group of women who learn and perform the music and instruments of West Africa.
WWG at the 2026 annual concert.
Their instruments include djembes, Dunns, gyils (West African xylophones) and Adenkums (gourds played rhythmically to accompany singing). They sing traditional songs in the native languages and some members of the group perform dances styled on traditional movements. Women Who Groove choose songs that focus on women’s lives – family, traditions, children and community happiness. WWG was the second performance ensemble formed at the WOMEN’S DRUM CENTER.
Ensemble Leader: Bettie Seitzer
Rehearsals: Tuesdays, 6:30 - 8:30pm
Cost: $20 per rehearsal
Prerequisite: Women interested in joining this ensemble are encouraged to reach out to Bettie to arrange a discussion or to visit a rehearsal. Some drumming experience is necessary; new members will receive instruction and support not only from Bettie, but also from group members. The Groovy women are welcoming and nurturing – truly a community of amazing women.
Bettie Seitzer
Bettie Seitzer started her musical journey at the age of 10 playing the violin continuously through high school, college, and beyond. She spent 6 years traveling the upper Midwest in a Blues and Bluegrass band. She first visited the WDC in 2009 and was immediately smitten with the drums! She started in Women Who Grove and then moved to drumHeart, of which she is still a member.
Bettie’s love of West African music has led her to study the rhythms and cultural context of the music she loves and to seek out new songs for the classes she teaches. She has attended workshops led by West African Master Drummers at the annual Wula Drum and Dance Retreat. Those Master Drummers have encouraged her to embrace the music, play it joyfully, and share the background of the songs, their origin, and meaning. Every year at the retreat she learns new songs and brings them back to her classes teaching not just the rhythms but also the importance of the music.
WWG leading a drum circle at Caponi Art Park, 2025