NATC 2025 Phoenix

From the very beginning of the history of Japan, people have believed in the existence of deities living with them, in their lives, and they could communicate with those deities through the sound of their drumming, Taiko.
Shinto is widely known as a Japanese indigenous religion, it is the way of life and reflection of Japanese culture. This workshop focuses on the relationship with Japanese people and Kami(Deity), the backbone of performing arts and taiko from Mythology, role of Matsuri(festival), role of Taiko, Shinto and Buddhism relationship and how those reflect to Japanese culture.

Prerequisite/What to bring: None

Have you ever wondered why it is called upstage and downstage? Are you confused when someone tells you to move your drum stage right? Have you ever wondered what the heck a stage manager does? If so, then this workshop is for you.

Join Emma Valentine on a backstage tour of the behind-the-scenes magic of taiko shows. From rehearsals to performance, from load-in to load-out, from the booth to the wings, Emma will share firsthand knowledge of working professionally in theatre communities and how these experiences have translated to fit the taiko community.

Objectives:
By the end of this workshop participants will:
- Walk away with a basic knowledge in vocabulary, etiquette, North American theatre know-how and other fundamentals for live performers.
- Learn some tips and tools to confidently prepare as a performer to enter a theater space and transition smoothly to the stage. Expand beyond practicing songs.
- Know the who’s who of a theatre space, what their job description is and what you as a performing artist can provide them with in order to have an easy and respectful working relationship.

Leaders in our taiko community need to consider the future and how succession planning is important to help ensure that their taiko group is on stable ground. Roy and PJ Hirabayashi will lead this discussion as they share their leadership transition out of San Jose Taiko and the steps they took to continue their own taiko careers. The session will allow participants to ask questions and share their experiences or challenges.

Did you want the highest pitch/ the most bounce/ for the lightest weight bachi?
The tenor sound that doesn't make ears wince indoors? Or the thick heavy skin that can handle 'Ushi-Goroshi' ( cow-killer ) bachi?

When do we hope it will sound great?(1 year, 3 years, 6 top 10?)
Is the goal a looser or softer skin(auditory kindness indoors)? How loose is too loose ? - for skin #1? - for skin #2?
How soon would you like it? How many extra steps are we willing to add? Can we sacrifice the longevity of the skin to get there sooner? Can we add weight to the skin and give it deeper tone?
What factors can we bring to the table? What extra steps? What risky techniques?