East Texas program uses drums to teach people with physical, developmental disabilities
By Lorena Rivas
Published: Mar. 20, 2024 at 12:12 PM CDT
TYLER, Texas (KLTV) – According to the CDC, one in six kids nationwide have a developmental disability. It’s usually diagnosed early childhood and can impact physical and mental growth. Music notes, tambourines, and drums all have an important role.
“One of the keynote portions of trap learning is the sequencing that takes place,” said Casey Muze, who teaches TRAP Learning.
The rhythm arts project, called TRAP Learning, uses drums and percussion to educate people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“Such as autism, down syndrome, ADD, ADHD, dyslexia neuro divergences right but this doesn’t limit physical barriers when you talk about cerebral palsy,” said Muze.
For the past four years, Muze has used these drums for that purpose.
“Overall healing and gaining mobility and cognitive structure.”
The program incorporates all senses.
“It’s very holistic because it doesn’t involve you consuming anything, involves you to get up and move and be in tune with what’s going on with the body,” said Muze.
Muze personalizes each exercise depending on the disability to help enhance focus and memory but also build life skills.
“They’re able to express their emotions to me, they used to get so mad and so wound up and so pint up but now they’re able to say I’m mad and I don’t know why,” said Muze.
Muze said programs like these are needed in East Texas to provide a community and a creative way of learning.
“Me being able to serve different populations of people and lean into the true hearts of what their needs are means the world to me,” said Muze.
Impacting lives one beat at a time during this month which brings awareness to developmental disabilities. Muze said this program is open to all ages; he’s served people from 1 to more than 85 years old.
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