Rhythm
Music Education. Drums. The Butterfly Effect of One Educator’s Devotion.
Directed by Asher Bloom A documentary short featuring Floyd Kennedy
Shortlist, Young Director Awards 2026
The film
When a transformative percussion teacher is abruptly forced into retirement and faces a profound crisis, he must reevaluate his legacy to continue teaching.
Floyd Kennedy spent decades teaching students life skills through drumming. Starting with paint buckets and boards, over the course of nearly 30 years he turned the drumline at historically under-resourced Natomas High School into a nationally recognized program whose students went on to perform at the highest level.
Rhythm also features two of Floyd’s former students, Isaiah and Stefon, who have become professional drummers, educators, and fathers. They represent the hundreds of students Floyd has taught, from those facing emotional challenges or life-altering injuries to those who just needed a gentle mentor.
Through Floyd’s story, Rhythm shows how one consistent adult and one accessible arts program can shape belonging, discipline, confidence, and long-term student success.
Meet Floyd Kennedy
Floyd Kennedy is a Sacramento-based drummer, educator, and craftsman whose career spans church, touring, and public school arts education. He founded and led the Natomas High School Drum Corps and Percussion Ensemble for more than 25 years, teaching thousands of students.
Rhythm meets him at a turning point, navigating retirement and identity, and deciding what it means to keep teaching when others expect you to step aside.
Themes in the film
Floyd’s story shows what one consistent adult and one accessible arts program can make possible. It also stands for the countless arts educators who do this work every day.
- Mentorship.
- Floyd spent decades teaching students life skills through drumming. Many say he changed the course of their lives.
- Arts education.
- The film makes a human case for arts education as part of whole-child development and student success. Floyd’s program started with paint buckets and boards.
- Belonging.
- Over decades of teaching, Floyd built a community of students ranging from toddlers to college-age musicians. Many of his students have said the drumline was the only reason they came to school and graduated.
- Discipline.
- His program became known for discipline, excellence, and community. In 2018, its curriculum was adopted by the California Department of Education.
- Black musical heritage.
- Through gospel music, percussion, and mentorship, Floyd carries forward Black musical traditions, sharing a sense of pride, belonging, and connection across generations.
- The butterfly effect of one educator.
- Director Asher Bloom took his first drum lessons from one of Floyd’s former students, years before meeting Floyd himself. Through the students he taught, many now leaders in their own communities, Floyd’s impact reaches classrooms, concert venues, and homes.
Resources
Tools for families, teachers, and school communities to use alongside the film.
Resources are a work in progress and will be finalized in early October 2026.
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Excerpts
Short sections of the film for classroom discussion and sharing.
Available
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Discussion Guide
Prompts for parents, teachers, and community members to use with an excerpt.
Available
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How to Build It: A Drumline Roadmap
A practical path to starting a drumline, beginning with buckets and boards.
Coming soon
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Host a Rhythm Night
A simple one-hour format for a family or school screening.
Coming soon
