If you were in or gave such a class or performance, please describe more about what you did or experienced?
| I have quite a formal approach. I want the learners to be as technically good as they can, not just enjoy hitting things. it’s a slow process but I hope that if another taiko player saw them.play, they worked detect that they have studied technique. |
| It was very rewarding as there was incredible positive engagement by of the kids, and it was easy to see how it was a positive experience for them. |
| They’re not that different. Just make it fun for everyone, keep a quick pace, have a dinner break, and acknowledge everyone individually. Listen to them and change course if needed. Include familiar songs that aren’t taiko related. Give nicknames. Treat them like how I want to be treated. |
| it was a great opportunity to learn to preform, get you nerfs under controle |
| Excited |
| peformance is exciting and fun |
| I felt very uncomfortable |
| i’m rather a coach for the ones who are adapting/learning slower – (we are not a dojo or professional team) I never “expect” something, i watch the needs and try to share what i know, also in workshops when i teach a new song |
| Answers above. |
| I demonstrated some movements, played along to help people take part and keep the rythm. I experienced such a strong connection with people, it felt like we were all one and all the same, and at the same time honouring our differences. It was an experience I will never forget as I am so grateful for it |
| The groups feeling of all playing together is amazing! There are 3 different “schools” in 3 different regions and they all perform together, after a run of kuchi shōga per song. |
| Not sure how to answer, sorry. |
| The children are naturally attuned and receptive. They also usually enjoy making a lot noise and they are bothered by worrying they don’t sound good. They enjoyed the Miyake demo we gave them and took turns hitting the drums afterwards. The number of children was too high(around 30 kids summer camp) |
| When you come in to my session, I use all the space available. I fill a wall with all my instruments – mini-shime, djembe, cajon, boom whackers, singing bowls, rain sticks, flutes, fue etc. W espend the first part of therapy exploring sound we can make as an extension to our body. We then move into grounding strategies, using the drum (heartbeat rhythm etc) and then begin to use the drum as a way to talk non verbally. Usually I don’t say much except for instruction in how to play the instrument, or to check in with the client. The final part of whatever piece of therapeutic work we do, we move back to the instruments and write a piece of music using anything that fits. I teach the client how to express theit sound visually and we play it together. I mainly use rhythm2recovery as my modal base for this work, but have augmented it to include my other musical skills |
| Our first prison show was very intense and created a high space where we had more energy when we left than when we came in. |
| For Special Taiko, there are two main teachers. My role is mainly to help model how to play (with another assistant like myself) and/or partner with a member who needs additional help. Currently I am partnered with one of the group’s 2 downs syndrome students who is also new so needing extra help with confidence, getting up to speed and catching up on repertoire. |
| For the schools, our group performs two pieces for them, then our Director begins explaining Ei Ja Nai Ka and we break the audience into smaller circles where each of the performers takes a circle to help lead. We give the kids shaker eggs to use during song (which they love). After Ei Ja Nai Ka, we let a few of the kids come up and try out the drums. Then, we perform a finale piece for them. Then we do a question and answer session with the kids. They have great questions and are intrigued. |
| Brief demonstration of Matsuri, and some discussion about Kuchi Shoka. |
| I was surprised that my students caught on so quickly. One of my special needs students, who is very low academically, is one of my best players at school. |
| There is an absolute joy for the participants that you find hard to see elsewhere. They have seen a powerful performance and are getting to play themselves. I am just grateful to have been a part of this profound moment. |
| I actually facilitated a workshop yesterday for a group of 20 young adults with disabilities. The first since pre-pandemic times. I had to wear a mask and stay 2 metres away from the group so I was a little worried how it would work. I pretty much did the same workshop as I would deliver with any new group with some changes to accomodate wheel chair users and at a slower pace with a lot of repetition. We played games, name games on the drum, and worked ourselves up to a good game of Taiko Uno that I adapted slightly to make a little clearer. It was one hour long. I was worried that I would struggle to keep their attention for one hour, but this really was not a problem at all. They were bouncing! |
| The kids were incredibly focused and engaged. The mother had never seen her kids so taken with something. |
| It’s uplifting seeing how taiko can move all sorts of people, including the teachers and families of those with special needs. |
| We basically do the same as usual, but when we talk, we need to talk a little bit slower. We also let them know it’s okay to cover their ears or use headphones. (Though we usually tell any audience it’s okay to cover their ears.) |
| Both nervous, 1st performance with public, and with joy of sharing this experience |
| – |
| Just the profound happiness and excitement of the audience. It made you realize how privileged you could be. |
| I tried to not actually change my teaching style a lot from usual taiko classes. And mostly that worked well. |
| – |
| They were usually short performances and would sometimes include a short workshop which would usually be little more than letting the kids go wild on the drums. |
| I always have fun when we perform. I enjoy playing for people. |
| I enjoyed the enthusiasm of the children and had lots of fun coming up with what to do with them. I had them play nursery rhymes and march around the drums. |
| My biggest pleasure is always to notice the change in behavior of the participants. They all start a bit nervous and shy and after some ti!e they start playing, having fun, being “kids” again. |
| I was the director of this sensory friendly performance. I was stressed out because taiko is such a loud art, but I really tried to curate the pieces and train the performers for this experience. We received rave reviews from the audience feedback the site received later, which is why we will be working with them again. |
| – challenges and reflections 1. design taiko over they need VS haw taiko has to be done 2. Flexibility vs discipline 3. Enhance the sense of fun as a mean of trust. To build concentration as final goal 4. Build exercise ms that naturally Transform frustration using confirmation 5. The power of playing with your name and with meaningful phrases 6. Don’t be a teacher: a leading body language with an un-leading frame of mind |