John Hanks is a multifaceted musician based in Durham, NC. John is currently the full-time Music Coordinator for the Duke University Dance Program and has been a long-time faculty musician for the American Dance Festival’s summer intensives. He was the drummer for the Jazz Dance World Congress in the 1990's, playing for Gus Giordano and others. In North Carolina, John drums with the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble, as well as their annual NC Rhythm Tap Festival that features notable tap dancers Michelle Dorrance, Derick Grant, Brenda Buffalino, and others. As a jazz drummer he has appeared with many notable artists, including Randy Johnston, Bill Easley, Stephanie Nakasian, Hod O'Brian, Mose Allison, the Glen Miller Band, Butch Thompson, Scott Hamilton, Warren Vache, Mary Lou Williams, and many others. He played drums for the North Carolina Jazz Repertory Orchestra, directed by James Ketch, from 1991-2008. As a Classical musician, John has performed as timpanist and percussionist with the Mallarme Chamber Players, Duke Chapel Choir and Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra, and the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra. He has played drums/percussion for many musical theater presenters, including Theater Raleigh, North Carolina Theater, and Durham Performing Arts Center. He currently performs frequently with the Willie Painter Band. From 1987-2012 he was the faculty percussion instructor for the Duke University Music Department. He composes electro/acoustic percussion scores and audio collages for dance and has released several albums of his music, including: “Here Come the Drums” and “Drumjazz”, both widely available online (iTunes, Spotify, etc.)