A percussionist who creates music by drumming on his body will teach Kent State students his art tomorrow.

Keith Terry, a self-defined “body musician,” uses his body as a musical instrument. The percussionist and rhythm dancer founded Crosspulse, a non-profit arts organization, 28 years ago in California.

Andrea Shearer, dance division director for the School of Theatre and Dance, said Terry’s workshop will focus on body rhythms and how people can use their bodies as musical instruments.

“From the beginning of time, people have been using their bodies to make music,” Shearer said. “It has many manifestations and exists all over the world.”

Shearer said participants should bring “clean shoes or bare feet.”

“Everybody’s participating. It’s not a performance; it’s a workshop,” she said.

The student chapter of the National Dance Education Organization and the Kent Dance Association, a general service organization that supports dance activities on campus, are the event’s sponsors.

“The two of them got together and thought this would be a great thing to sponsor,” Shearer said.

Shearer said Terry contacted the school to see if it was interested in the workshop. This made the arrangement more efficient, she said, because Kent State didn’t have to bear the costs of long distance transportation.

Heather Jacobs, president of the Kent Dance Association, said Shearer passed the idea to her.

“We thought it was really interesting,” Jacobs said. “It’ll be a really good experience for anyone.”

The workshop targets dance, theater and music students, Jacobs said, but students from any major can participate.

The free event will take place between 4:30 and 6 p.m. in Studio 222 of the M.A.C. Center Annex.

Contact performing arts reporter Bo Gemmell at [email protected].