太鼓打ち

Taiko has a long and storied history in Japan that stretches over 2000 years. It is deeply ingrained in their culture as both a form of entertainment and as part of their religious practices. I had the opportunity to see a Taiko ensemble, known as a 組太鼓.

My mother always told me to march to the beat of my own drum, or in this case my own Taiko. I had the opportunity to see a Taiko ensemble, known as a 組太鼓, perform at Disney World. It was both powerful and entertaining. I also had the pleasure of watching The Fort Wayne Dance Collectives ensemble perform at the Fort Wayne Cherry Blossom Festival. According to the Fort Wayne Dance Collective’s web site, their Taiko ensemble is the only group in Indiana and one of the few in the Midwest. Prior to the performance they gave an interesting talk on the history of Taiko, which means “big drum”. “The large, hollow, skin-covered drums used in taiko are played vertically, horizontally or diagonally to create a range of vibrant rhythms. But Taiko isn’t simply about sound. Its characteristic beat is achieved through choreographed arm movements, as drummers “dance” their sticks from drum to drum.” The Fort Wayne Dance Collectives Taiko ensembles goal is to “honor the ancient tradition of Taiko with unique, multifaceted performance art.”

Taiko has a long and storied history in Japan that stretches over 2000 years. It is deeply ingrained in their culture as both a form of entertainment and as part of their religious practices. Taiko drumming is a largely a male dominated art form, but more and more women are entering into the physically and mentally grueling process that is 組太鼓.

The thing about Taiko that appeals to me, and I suspect many others is how it seems both a foreign concept, yet one that is familiar and known on a primal level. You can’t hear a 組太鼓 performance and not find your body moving in the most basic manner. The deep, rich rhythmic sounds seeming to resonate through your spirit and then echo out into the Universe. The beat of the drums becoming the beat of a billion hearts.