This year Hamilton International Middle School’s community, with partial support from the PTSA, started a new after-school Steel Pan program. In the 2025-26 school year, the program will continue its after-school sessions and expand to offer sessions during the school day.
Instructor Michael Shantz is from the Seattle Steel Pan Project, a cultural institution based out of the MLK Community Center for the past 12 years. Mr. Shantz’s projects over many years have included the nationally touring company Bakra Batá Music and Dance, the Seattle Women’s Steel Pan Project, Cover Your Ears youth band, and more. His professional adult ensemble and many if his student groups have performed at Folklife, Town Hall, Fremont Solstice Parade, Seafair, many schools, colleges, and local theaters. For him and his co-creator Oriana Estrada, dance and cultural education is a life mission.
Mr. Shantz looks forward to expanding Hamilton’s Steel Pan program and designing great events to showcase student talents. In the meantime, he’s hosting adult classes at the community center and offering summer camps in June and July.
Michael Shantz’s “Sa Sa Ye Steel” will be performing at the King Street Station during FIFA week on June 21, from 2:30 to 4 pm. The entire event is from 2 to 10 PM with many featured performers and artists, and “Sa Sa Ye Steel” will open festivities with their 90-minute set.
The PTSA has been proud to help support our school’s foray into steel pan drums, particularly with leadership and advocacy from both Principal Dr. Marshall and Registrar Ms. Peila, who is a huge fan of steel pan, and the spirit of this quote she provided us:
“Every form of human social exclusion – race, class, ethnicity, religion, education, nationality, age, gender – has been transcended in the steel pan movement without breaking stride. Before pan is encountered as music, it is experienced as a form of belonging.” – Kim Johnson
