Taiko Shine is about having fun and healing from the stresses of day to day life. Taiko drumming brings us back to our natural selves, before all that life happened to us. For kids, it builds self-esteem, confidence, musical ability, and community. It’s for people recovering from different kinds of trauma. It is an excellent healing tool for our brains, body, and spirit. Get on the mailing list here. Future classes!
Classes:
75 min Try Taiko Classes
Mon: Level 1
Mon: Level 2
Payment Info
How to prepare
Example: Lev 1 class
Another example
Taiko IS Sangha!
Resources and Links
Taiko Shine Songs
Taiko Shine’s First Recital
Recital May 2, 2025
Contact us for drumming at gatherings or birthday parties!
Support the dream!
Beginner Taiko
Nov 3-Dec 15, 5:30-6:30 Sign up here. St. Paul location, $95-$145, pre-registration/payment required. Bring a friend and get 50% off! Sign up by Oct 28.. No class Dec. 1.
Six-week course, each week focusing on a different part of taiko and the big drumming experience. We work on drills and learn a song. Designed for the beginner player, but more experienced players can also get a lot by focusing on form and technique. More info on individual classes.
Murray: 2200 Buford Ave.
Level 2 Taiko
When: Mondays, (6:15-7:45)
Where: Contact us for location information!
This class moves at a slightly faster pace, learns more complex songs, and the students can easily play basic rhythms. We also do drills to work on sticking technique, our form, improvisation, and more.
Never tried taiko?
Upcoming 75 minute try taiko classes: October 11 and 25 5:45-7:00. Sign up here or contact us for more information if you would like to join the fun. St. Paul location near University and 280.
Payment Options:
1) $15-$30 per person/per 75-90 minute session
(Venmo, cash, or paypal). Pre-registration is required unless it is the day before or day of – then DM me or text me so we know to bring a drum for you.
***New students please pay in advance. After your first class, cash and check are accepted, but if there are no-shows w/out a 24-hour advance notice, advance payment will be required. If you cancel within a day of class, you can use the payment toward a future class.
Looking ahead:
Our next student drumming recital (participation not required) will be in November or December for family and friends. Both Saturday and Monday classes will take part with a few guest drummers.
The facilitator is Wendy G: Since the 2017 women’s march in St. Paul, I have been fixated with taiko. Like others, when I saw taiko, I knew I had to do it. I was signed up in the next week and purchased my first drum shortly afterward.
I attend workshops around the country, have been to five or six in Germany, and usually drum several days a week with others. This art form has changed and healed me. Originally Japanese, now people in all kinds of settings and with differing abilities play taiko around the world. For me, it is about connecting with others while moving, vocalizing, and making music. It has been a great resource for me to heal trauma, spur further emotional growth, lose weight, giggle like a child, and make new friends. It is loads of fun! Who doesn’t like making lots of noise with big sticks?
Here is an example of Taikollaborative having a blast playing Narushima by Katsuji Kondo of Japan and Mozamjam! by Shonagh and Martin Walker of Scotland.
Contact me if you would like a class from me at your treatment center, sober house, nursing home, or elsewhere. We can have fun, grow, de-stress, and heal at the same time!
Taiko is all about community: SANGHA.
S: We make a Song together.
A: When we play taiko, we are Assertive and Amazing (it’s hard to to be feel scared playing taiko).
N: We come back to our Natural selves, before life, trauma happened to us.
G: Playing taiko, we have to be as tall as Gigantic Giraffes (we gain perspective!), and we are Graceful (despite being so loud!).
H: We have Fun. Taiko is FUN!
A: We Affirm each other by yelling, encouraging, smiling (kiai in Japanese).
To me, taiko is extremely healing: it is full of power, community, spirit, support, freedom, fun, and it brings us back to our natural selves before troubles entered our lives. In the Buddhist tradition, Sangha means community or those we travel with, and community gives us strength, as does taiko and the taiko community. With taiko and community we can recovery from all kinds of trauma and troubles we carry.
Past taiko classess in St. Paul
* First known as Recovery Taiko, because the first class was sponsored by a Recovery Dharma meeting in St. Paul. It was awesome, and despite the name change, I still reach out to the recovery community!