In early November when the relaxing summer that refreshed the spirit has already become a distant memory, join Glen Velez and Handance for a performance of primal exhilaration and remarkable rhythmic fireworks - an experience that will inspire and revive the mind, body, and spirit. They will perform Saturday, November 3 at 8pm in Bowker Auditorium.

Velez, who Mickey Hart calls, "one of the most versatile percussionists on the planet," is acutely aware of how the entire body responds to musical vibrations. He thinks of the body in three different zones. The lower part of the body has a supportive or bass oriented energy. The center of the body has emotional energy, and the upper part of the body is about communication, verbalization, the mind and the eyes. Velez believes that different drums can activate different parts of the body more readily than other drums. The eclectic mix of instruments and traditions Velez and his Handance ensemble (Yousif Sheronick and Samir Chatterjee) draw upon include the South Indian kanjira (a small lizard skin instrument with a single set of jingles), the riq or duff (frame drums from the Middle East with loud jingles and a wide dynamic range), the gaval (a frame drum from Central Asia played with a unusual finger snapping technique), the pandeiro (the lively instrument from Brazil with rows of jingles), the North African tar (often seen in the hands of desert nomads), and the tamburello (an instrument used in healing rituals in southern Italy). Velez and Handance use these ancient instruments and apply them to the context of modern day settings.

Don’t miss the Handance World Percussion at the Bowker Auditorium November 3 at 8pm. For tickets, call the Fine Arts Center Box Office at 545-2511 or 1-800-999-UMAS, or go online to www.fineartscenter.com.