steel pan alley

Terry19_62_11

This was with a doubt an absolute blast to do. Fun and educational without straining the brain cells. The kids are awesome to work with and their patience in dealing with tone deaf tourists is amazing. Just remember not to bring your taco flavoured chips to class or they WILL be confiscated. Miss Deborah is doing a truly wonderful job with these kids and deserves a ton of support in her work.

BobW60

The Steel Pan Alley trip is not to be missed if you want to see and experience life in Roatan away from the commercial cruise ship attractions. You learn how to play the pans, and also learn the history of the instruments. You get to meet and play along side student musicians who help teach the class. Deborah, the founder and teacher of the group is a former California music teacher and she is a no nonsense instructor. We came from the West Bay Area and she drove us home after the session . We rode in the back of her trusty old Toyota pickup with the students and that was as much of an adventure as the music class! The little village of Gravels Bay, where the lesson takes place at the school Deborah built, is an eye opener and someplace you would never see on a standard island tour. If you're looking for an off the beaten path adventure and a learning experience this is the place.

891bobw

We heard the band (young adults from the island) perform one afternoon at one of the restaurants on the beach. What a neat experience! We were able to chat with Deborah, their mentor, prior to their departure. She shared the fact that she and some of the young adults offer a teaching experience at the school she established. Our party of friends joined several other folks who visited the school for a few hours of fun and education. Deborah obviously spent time learning about the art and shared how and where the Steel Pans were made and played. She and her students then helped us to learn three songs and we became "part of the band". What a great opportunity for the kids of Roatan. Go see, hear, learn and support the school!

TravelingMom62

You go to a school where a middle school teacher from the US is teaching the teens of Roatan how to play the steel drums. It's not too easy to find and is on a dirt road. For $35 each, you have a lesson (with the kids as additional musicians) and learn to play a few brief songs. It was interesting but I found the lesson a bit confusing and it felt rushed (we were 15 minutes late.) It's a good cause though so I do want to support Deborah and her students.

itchyfeetRTW

Surprised our tween with this adventure. We had a fabulous time. Learned heaps about music in Roatan, and how steel drums came to be among so many other interesting tidbits. Deborah is a passionate teacher and the kids were very nice and helpful (plus, they made us sound good). Easily our favorite activity of the week!Warning - the website wasn't "web siting" in the last week of March, but, if you e-mail Deborah, she will respond promptly. Great fun.

5921

This was one of the best things we've done on a vacation. Deborah has a big personality, and she is an excellent teacher. We had a blast. Our 16 year old son and my husband both had a lot of fun (even though they were skeptical when i signed us up). Deborah gives you some fascinating history of the music and of Roatan in between songs. Her internet link was broken, but she will answer emails quickly. You need a minimum of four, but I gave her our name so when another family signed up we were in. Don't miss this.

CindyC563

This was truly an unforgettable, unique & worthwhile experience! Thanks to Deborah for the warm welcome, and for the fun and informative afternoon. It was such a pleasure to meet the kids, and to learn all about the school and about the steel pans. We loved our "hands-on" experience with the drums, and better yet, listening to the students play for us at the end of the session. Kudos to Deborah for all the work and dedication to this school, and for the enrichment it no doubt brings to the lives of the kids who attend. Do go if you have the chance, you will be glad you did!

Kugs29

We had a wonderful time visiting Steel Pan Alley - we did several yours out of our hotel but none compared to the unique experience we had at Steel Pan. We had a quite a large group as well and they had no problem accommodating us. We felt like we had experienced something truly different on the island and loved it! The kids are wonderful and the teacher runs the school truly from the heart. Highly recommend this trip!!

KenoshaGirl

We just returned from a wonderful cruise on the Carnival Glory. Thanks to Trip Advisor, we found out about this wonderful, free, music program for the children of Roatan. Meeting Deborah and the students was the highlight of our cruise. We played a couple of songs with the group, but most of all, caught Deb's enthusiasm for the program. In addition to purchasing T-shirts just like the kids wear, we bought two of their CD's. This former CA music teacher (retired) is making a difference in her community. It's necessary to hire a driver to get to her school, but it is an opportunity to see the island in a way that most visitors miss. Spread the word...this is the best excursion ever!!

546CherylS

Many people when they go on a trip want an adventure. Well this is an adventure of a different sort where your money helps to keep the arts alive for these young people. This is a retired teacher who has built this little enclave in a community and teaches kids 3 days a week to play the steel drums. You will get a 2 hours experience learning to play, learn the history of the steel drum , meet the kidsAnd support the continuation of the school. While we know the kids are learning drumming they are also learning great life lessons about teamwork, cooperation and being a contributing member of society. Who wouldn't want that for their child. Have a real experience while in Roatan. Go see experience and support these kids.

mimik809

Great experience -- really interesting adventure. Deborah is a retired music who set up a free steel pan school for the local kids (she taught steel drums in the US for 8 yrs before coming down to Roatan), and teaches workshops for tourists to help support her venture. Its a terrific experience-- her enthusiasm was contagious, and we learned 3 whole songs in 2 1/2 hours, with her students helping/collaborating. She tells all about the history of steel pan music, talks about the local culture, and is doing a great project for the students she mentors who can get paying gigs playing at local events.Very highly recommended, was our favorite activity during our week in Roatan.

scheif

We recently returned from a cruise and wanted to try something different while in Roatan. Four of us aging from 40's to 70's and we all really enjoyed our drumming lessons. None of us have any musical abilities but Deborah and her students made it fun and easy to learn. We bought the CD's and listening to them reminds of us our great experience!

755PatM

Learned the base line on three songs and found the experience of being surrounded by the music different and exciting. Deborah is very knowledgeable, patient and can teach anyone to play a little steel pan in a matter of 1 - 2 hours. I'll never be a professional on the pan, but being a part of the band was great. It is unfortunate that the cruise lines do not offer anything of this quality on their "shore excursions" yet. Steel Pan Alley is a short cab ride from Mahogany Bay and can be a learning experience for everyone, young or old, family or couple. Many thanks also to Ivan, Francisco (Junior), David and Eleanor for their expertise. These are students at the school and made a rookie on the pan sound much better than I really deserved.

silverback35

The other reviewers are correct. THIS is a fun experience and off the beaten path. It's right across the dirt road/path from a truly locally built open air church. I almost didn't attend, because my husband was ill, but I went to our meeting site to give them our donation because I knew the students and the teacher were planning on us being there. I was welcome to join them as the only visitor, so I did. What a great experience. I will return next time we are in Roatan and recruit a group to join us.

ibuycdn

The 4 of us went to steel pan alley and learned how to beat on steel drums. Although it was hot, and I am practically tone deaf, we all succeded to play 3 songs with the help of the instructor, a former music teacher from the states who now devotes her time in teaching the kids of Roatan to fulfill their musical whims!