Taiko Vegetables

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Opening question: Are you a hot person or a cold person? Do you prefer cold weather or hot weather?

Stepping

After warm-ups Franco led us through some stepping and playing exercises. I forgot to take video, but here is a related activity that we did a few months ago.

Taiko Vegetables

Franco coined the term “Taiko Vegetables” when talking about exercises that are for practicing fundamentals. Though they can be repetitive, they can also be fun while giving time to letting mind and body to get more connected.

Here is longer version of the DoRo Don drill that we also did in class.

Other things…

If you are free, please join us for San Jose Taiko’s virtual concert “Rhythm Spirit 2020” this Saturday at 12:00PM PT. It will be hosted on our YouTube channel. Normally at this time we would be preparing for an in-theatre concert so we are happy to be able to put this performance out for people to enjoy.

ANNOUNCEMENTS and REMINDERS:

• Payment for classes should be made here: https://www.paypal.me/sanjosetaiko OR by check made out to San Jose Taiko, 565 N. 5th Street, San Jose CA 95112 (please mark the check PRC). The fee is $10 drop-in or $36/month. Please mark on your payment what dates the payment is for. This will help greatly in reconciling payments.

• Bachi can be purchased to be mailed for $10 a pair.

• Our friends in southern California are also running a taiko class for Parkinson’s called “Rhythmic Flow Taiko” on Sundays. Please check their website for more info.

• At any time, feel free to email yurika@taiko.org for questions!

"Ma" (Space)

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Welcome to our new student, Ellen!

Opening question: What was your favourite subject in school or what did you study in college?

Today we warmed up with some stepping, clapping and kiai coordination. Here is a video below of a similar drill.

Ma

We talked a little bit about the concept of “Ma” or space in Japanese and how this space is important in taiko. We may fill this musical space between taiko hits with kiai or with movement. We learned 4 different movements that often come up in San Jose Taiko choreography. And we also talked about basic and fancy versions of the movement and how to use your legs to emphasize the movements or make them easier. We started each movement with a Don Don and during the next 2 beats, would fill with “sore” and the movement.

• “Line” - Bring up your arms together, they should reach the top on the “re” of “sore”

• “Circle” - Sweep up your arms on the sides of your body. Marlene said this move reminded her of birds wings. The fancy version starts with crossing your arms in front of you before sweeping up.

• “X” - Similar to some of the X drills we have been working on with Franco, Pointing your bachi out diagonally and leaning into the movement with your legs.

• “Windmill” - A challenging movement requiring each arm to move independently.

Here’s a slower practice video of the windmill:

Here is a practice video of the 4 movements played through 8 times.

Here is a slightly faster practice video of the 4 movements played 4 times through each.

We finished off with a drill/game where I had symbols to represent each movement.

Pat said, “The windmills really emphasize how easy the first 3 movements are!”

A quick reminder of the 4 Principles of San Jose Taiko - each week we might focus one or two more than the others, but as taiko players are always striving to find balance and improve on all 4.

OTHER THINGS…

This past Sunday, San Jose Taiko would have been performing at Palo Alto Obon. Here is a full video of last-year’s performance.

ANNOUNCEMENTS and REMINDERS:

• Payment for classes should be made here: https://www.paypal.me/sanjosetaiko OR by check made out to San Jose Taiko, 565 N. 5th Street, San Jose CA 95112 (please mark the check PRC). The fee is $10 drop-in or $36/month.

• Bachi can be purchased to be mailed for $10 a pair.

• At any time, feel free to email yurika@taiko.org for questions!