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KIAI,KIAI,KIAI Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

Kiai is a shout used to channel energy and encourage other performers.

Fort Wayne Taiko recently performed at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis and the Taste of the Arts in downtown Fort Wayne. Our next performance is Saturday, September 12 at the West Central Neighborhood gathering at 12noon.

We performed Yamabiko using a lot more kiai and more drummer interaction. The crowd loved it…and we had a great time playing it for them. Both performances were full of energy from kiai that drew in the crowds as well as the drummers and made it alot of fun for everyone.

We look forward to Knock on Wood, November 20 at 7pm to continue finding our voices as Ft. Wayne Taiko drummers.

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2010 Three Rivers Festival performance Monday, July 12th, 2010

Fort Wayne Taiko was just at the Three Rivers Festival Art in the Park on Sunday, and boy, was it good. Between the great weather, the crowd of 500 or so, and the spectacle of the drums, it was a hit. Tammy played the violin, which was cool. and everyone did a great job.

Here’s a short, choppy video I took. Pardon the quality, it was on my phone.

I also took a series of pictures that look great. Some highlights from that:

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What habits do we get into……. Thursday, July 8th, 2010

It is very interesting the habits we get into when we play a song. We have played Domo almost since the beginning of our group. Beth and Jackie played it,solo, each having a side, at the first concert. It takes a lot of strength and endurance to play in the high horizontal position. We are finding that out, even more, as we learn John Yost’s piece he taught us in February. Since that concert, to date, everyone in the current performing group knows this song and we can play it with whoever is there at a performance. Because this song is an echo and someone has to lead with part one of the song, somehow, Beth has been on the part one side frequently. So frequently in fact that it has become a habit that ‘Beth’s side is leading’ even when she isn’t there!

We even get into habits about where we stand, who we are next to and how the song is arranged. So much so, that sometimes we have a hard time remembering the song if the anchor we look to for that song is different, be it placement, where the audience is and even who is playing the song. Flexibility is very key in taiko. What habits do you get into??

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Tags: echo, habits

Keeping an Even Rhythm Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

One challenge to drumming, of any style, is to have a balanced strike. Not so easy when most of us have one dominant side that is clearly stronger than the other. So here are a few tips:

1) Practice SLOWLY. You can really listen and work to match the sound between both hands when you go slowly. Then gradually speed up. Stop again when you hear a gallop instead of an even rhythm. This can be painful but so effective.

2) Do more tasks with your non-dominant hand. Try buttoning your buttons, opening doors, zipping zippers, brushing your hair or teeth, or retrieving objects from your taiko bag with your non-dominant hand. Stick with it even though it feels foreign and you will hear the results.

I was reading an exerpt to my family from the book Children of the Drum, the Life of Japan’s Kodo Drummers by Mark Coutts-Smith. Training with Kodo involved eating with chopsticks with the non-dominant hand. My 10 y/o son remembered that and asked me at dinner last night if I was going to eat with my left hand. Share with people what you are doing and they are great at keeping the intention alive.

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Tags: Children of the Drum, Drumming skills, Kodo, Mark Coutts-Smith, non-dominant hand, playing evenly

San Jose Taiko Intensive Training Monday, May 24th, 2010

Allison and Laura will be training this week in San Jose, California. I have never been to California and am looking forward to going. Libby has been working with us to train from our core so we can increase our endurance. Thanks Libby!! We are looking forward to some extra training and of course bringing back new material and ideas to incorporate into our work. Off we go!!!!:) SOOORRREEEE!!!!!

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Tags: san jose taiko, taiko training

Camp Jenee Monday, May 24th, 2010

We had so much fun drumming with these women and men. The energy from this group of people was uplifting and inspiring. Thank you Mary Rieki and Don Armstrong for inviting us. One of our newer members, Tammy, played backup to songs she hadn’t played before. She was awesome!!!!!!! She held our group together like she had been doing this forever. GREAT JOB TAMMY!!!!

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Tags: camp jenee, taiko

TaikoProject Is Superb! Saturday, April 17th, 2010

ohmygoodnessohmygoodnessohmygoodness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are not enough superlatives to describe the experience of watching TaikoProject perform! They are so skilled, polished, funny, humble and delightful. I need to get to bed to be ready to perform tomorrow, and I keep reliving the performance. Holy smokes! If you missed them today, be sure to catch them at the Cherry Blossom tomorrow. I know I’m gonna watch again! Thanks so much to Fort Wayne Dance Collective for bringing Maz, Brian, Jen, Courney, and the whole gang to Fort Wayne!

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Manchester College Performance 4/11/2010 Sunday, April 11th, 2010

We were delighted to perform at Manchester College’s International Fair today. The event organizers were so helpful to us. The audience was very appreciative. What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon! Special note of appreciation to Jackie Hinsey for her leadership today. You rock, sista! Here’s a sample of our work today – Tobimas (“Leap”) and then Streaming.

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Training Monday, April 5th, 2010

Physical training is as important to the taiko drummer as working on drumming skills. If you’ve witnessed Taiko, you’ve probably noticed that it is physical. Done well, it looks effortless and smooth but it takes a lot of work to make that happen. I believe cross-training is essential and being a big fan of our Public Library, I head to our downtown library and peruse the exercise selection. TaeBo, Aerobics, Boot Camp, Yoga, Pilates, Interval training, Fit to the Hits, Hula, Salsa, Tai Chi. Nothing is left untouched (although my attempt at Hip Hop was pretty hilarious). All of this creates the pathways for movement which makes the learning and integration of new material easier. For me, it’s a great way to start the day. So what are others doing out there?

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Tags: cross-training, library, taiko training

TAIKOPROJECT Performance at the Arts United Center! Thursday, March 11th, 2010

Apr

8:00 pm

Fort Wayne Taiko and Fort Wayne Dance Collective is pleased to announce a 3-day guest artist residency by the internationally-renowned TAIKOPROJECT, a Los Angeles-based drumming group. This residency includes a performance of “(re)generation” April 17, 2010 at 8 pm at the Arts United Center (see map below).

LA Weekly said of TAIKOPROJECT, “This ain’t your mama’s taiko, but it may be your hip, younger cousin’s”, and they couldn’t be more right. This company seamlessly blends fast-paced, exciting taiko with storytelling, music, hip-hop choreography, multimedia and dance.

In 2005, TAIKOPROJECT traveled to Japan to represent American taiko at the Tokyo International Taiko Contest. They took home the top prize, becoming the first foreign taiko group to win the contest. Earlier that year, they were featured in Mitsubishi Motor’s national ad campaign, featuring women in their group.

This 8-member company is in Fort Wayne for a three-day residency that includes educational lecture/demonstrations with schoolchildren, workshops for local taiko drummers and taiko enthusiasts, and will even be doing a demonstration during the Cherry Blossom Festival, happening downtown on April 18!

Reserved tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for children 12 and under. At the door, tickets are $30. They can be purchased by calling Fort Wayne Dance Collective at 260-424-6574 or by emailing info@fwdc.org. For more information about TAIKOPROJECT and their residency in Fort Wayne, visit www.fwdc.org/taikoproject.

FUN FACTS ABOUT TAIKO:

Taiko, which means “big drum” in Japanese, is a drumming and movement art form from ancient Japan. In taiko, the movement is as important as the rhythm — drummers play rhythms with sticks using choreographed arm movements while dancing from drum to drum.
Fort Wayne has our very own taiko group! Fort Wayne Taiko has been around since 2001 and has performed at countless local festivals, schools, and other events. See their website at www.fwtaiko.org.
Drums (at least those used by Fort Wayne Taiko) are made out of 50-gallon bourbon barrels, skinned at both ends in cowhide and played in horizontal, diagonal and vertical positions. Read a history of the drums and see pictures at http://fwtaiko.org/who-we-are/the-drums

TAIKOPROJECT at the Arts United Center

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Tags: drumming, performance, taiko, taikoproject