As the booming sound of a drumbeat steadily sounded, an influx of people found their way into Global Market, where Elaine Noyes hosts a drum circle twice a month.

"The drum is the heartbeat of the people," she said, striking the beater, made of willow and sheep hide, against the surface of the drum, sending deep, vibrating booms across the store.

"Dancing with the drum," as she phrases it, is a practice held in many traditions. It is a gathering together of people who want to "have a fun, new experience and open up a new portal of awareness."

This is a community drum circle, encompassing free-form drumming that is improvised through group interaction. It's an in-the-moment experience.

Noyes refers to it as a "calling together" of the circle.

As with the center of any circle, the drum acts as a focal point for the participants, but the energy that participants bring to the circle is unique to the group. There can be different purposes for a gathering, such as healing or spirituality, and the drumming can bring soothing, concentration, and connectivity.

If you don't have a drum, don't worry: You can drum on her buffalo-hide drum, her elk-hide hand drum or even use a drum that is available in the store. Noyes encourages participation at any level, even just observing. It's not about being a good drummer, she said; it's about feeling a connection. As Noyes explains, the drum "affects you as you affect it," creating a symbiotic relationship.

Noyes concluded with an open invitation: "Come and see what it means to you."