Kris composed the Taiko March based on the Algorithm March that’s become a fad in Japan and throughout the world. The Taiko March demonstrates many of the well-known traditional forms of taiko.

The Taiko March was arranged and choreographed by Kris Bergstrom. What I share here is only my imperfect understanding of it. Because Kris is a proponent of open-source everything, I expect that a more authoritative version will become available soon. I present this as my own experience with the Taiko March.

My descriptions of the march moves are far from complete and are just to give you a sense of what’s going on. If you wish to learn the more complete version, I would be happy to share what I know (which I felt would not translate well into text), or you can try contacting Kris directly.

The steps are marked in the image at the bottom of the page.

The Taiko March

Beth, Tanya and me playing in the trees near the La Brea Tar Pits

It’s finally August, and that means Taiko Conference and Summer Taiko Institute!

Tanya, Beth and I have never been to Taiko Conference before, and we decided to jump in with both feet and do it all! Beth and I arrived in LA this afternoon and joined Tanya, who’s been visiting here with her daughter the last few weeks.

Tanya introduces me to Pinkberry frozen yogurt. I know tomorrow will include another trip there.

STI begins tomorrow and we’re here, but we still don’t know what to expect. We haven’t been given a schedule or details – all we’ve been told is to meet up at 8am at Japanese American Cultural Center for registration. I’m dying to know more!

I guess, instead, I should pretend to be mature, responsible, and patient and turn in early to get a good night’s sleep before what is sure to be an exciting and exhausting day.

Pfftt!

Odaiko New England showing off our new happi coats

The Harvard Lampoon celebration was our first chance to get a group shot in our new noshi ribbon happi coats. We’re a pretty decent looking group, if I do say so myself.

You can learn taiko at our upcoming workshops! Here’s the info from our website:

In our popular workshops, new drummers learn taiko fundamentals such as kata (form), kiai (vocalization) and kumidaiko (ensemble drumming). Translation: Look really cool while yelling and hitting things with friends!

Using our entire bodies to drum, we’ll explore first-hand the mesmerizing, heart-pounding power of taiko. It’s an invigorating experience for body and spirit!

Participants in the Youth workshop will enjoy fun musical games that incorporate movement and vocalization as we learn about respect in Japanese culture and phrases in Japanese. Using the oral tradition of passing down taiko rhythms, we’ll learn and play a taiko song.

No experience is necessary! ONE brings enthusiastic and encouraging instructors and all necessary drums and equipment. Participants bring plenty of energy, spirit, and joy!  Space is limited, so sign up today!

Youth Workshop (8-12 years old) is on Monday, May 11th, 4:00 to 5:00 pm
Adult Workshop (13+) is on Tuesday, May 12th from 7:00 to 8:30 pm

Both workshops will take place at the ACAS Center, 29 Montvale Avenue in Woburn. Contact us with any questions regarding this workshop or to reserve your space now: (781-938-3786 ) or classes@onetaiko.org

These workshops are made possible as as part of Woburn Arts/Culture Initiative coordinated by SCI with support from Northwest Suburban Health Alliance/CHNA 15 DoN funds from Lahey Clinic.

Just over a week ago, Odaiko New England founding member Karen Young and advanced student Shane Tysk left Boston and flew to Japan to take part in a two week residency with Shidara.  Shidara is a professional taiko group living and practicing in Toei, in the remote regions of Japan’s Aichi prefecture.

During our trip to Japan last September, Karen, Beth, Matt and I visited with Shidara for 3 days.  It was an amazing experience.  As I expected, Shidara’s members are amazingly talented taiko players.  What I was surprised by was how welcoming, friendly, and just down-to-earth they are.   You can read about our experiences with Shidara on the 8 Bachi (in Japan) Blog, starting with this post about our arrival.

Shidara is sharing videos and blog posts about the residency, so those of us at home can follow along and wish we were there. Karen wrote a post on their myspace blog; we’re hoping she’ll write some more when she gets back to Odaiko New England (hint, hint).

While they were planning for the residency, Chabo-san, the founder of Shidara (and a huge ham), asked us what we would want if we had the opportunity to participate.  I think I went on for about half an hour about all the things I wanted to learn, especially about caring for and playing the shime-daiko, the drum that plays the ji – the base-beat that leads a taiko group.  Watching the residency video of Shidara teaching how to tie a shime, I remember a similar lesson on shime tying that we had, and how honored we were that Chabo-san herself taught us the basics of Shidara-style shime technique.

I’m looking forward to following the rest of the Shidara residency vicariously.  If I’m lucky, I’ll be there myself next year!

This past weekend was a whirlwind of taiko events, and has already been written about in one or two other blog posts. However, being the sort of person I am, who always has to insert her opinion into the conversation, I’m writing yet another. Enjoy!

For me, the weekend stressed the importance of Attitude in performance. We performed at the University of Hartford’s International Gala Saturday night. As we rehearsed Matsuri during the previous week, one word was emphasized over and over again: Boisterous. Matsuri is a boisterous song, all about having fun and sharing that fun with the audience. Our amazing Tanya on chappa boistered (is that a word?) everyone into having a great time at U Harftord. Just see that grin in the video!

After the Gala, we packed up our stuff and rushed to Stamford to see Taiko Project, hosted by Otatsu-taiko. It goes without saying that the taiko and the musicality was awesome. But, what really stuck with me was the history, especially the piece “From the Inside/Outside”, in which the Greats of the Japanese taiko world are projected on a huge screen over the stage as they talk about American taiko.

I bought my shime-daiko from Asano-san himself while I was in Japan with the KASA/MIX tour in September 2008, so listening to Yasuo Asano of Asano Taiko had extra meaning for me:

American taiko players seem like they … emphasize “enjoying themselves” onstage which in turn makes us (the audience) enjoy the performance. I think that’s great.

That’s our Matsuri in a nutshell

Then Tosha Kiyonari, one of the original members of Sukeroku Taiko, sitting there in his Hawaiian shirt and talking about performance costumes, instructs us:

If you can wear something well, then people will think that you’re good. Even if you suck.

I hope that we don’t suck. But, yes, it’s all about “wearing” the piece well.

Mark H. Rooney, our ever-inspired Artistic Director, talked to us just yesterday about playing on slant stands. In addition to always being boisterous, he reminded us that the reason the founders of these styles claim to have developed them was to “pick up chicks”.

Of course, you can also ask Juni, our amazingly talented Assistant Artistic Director, why we do push-ups during every taiso. Is it so we can be strong? NO – it’s so we look cool! Just check out Karen’s biceps!

Regardless of whether “chicks” are your target, a good taiko performance is all about impressing people.