Long-term taiko project: Matsuri Aces
For a few years now, I’ve been feeling like On Ensemble’s performances would benefit from the addition of a movement-focused taiko piece. The problem is, I don’t have the choreographic vocabulary to utilize convincing movement in my pieces. So I’ve started a long-term project to improve my movement and choreographic skills. I’m developing a series of bon-taiko-inspired movement phrases, a methodology for practicing and teaching them, and games and exercises for arranging phrases in convincing ways. If all the parts miraculously come together, the end result will be a deck of 52 playing cards, each featuring a movement phrase, along with a guidebook of games and practice challenges. The project is called Matsuri Aces!
I’ve arranged a performance at the Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute Carnival on June 27 2011, as a way-point for the project. The goal is to develop a series of movement phrases and try working them into an actual performance piece. I’m arranging a series of workshops with non-taiko artists with the hope that taiko can benefit from different perspectives. I have a small group of great taiko players joining me to explore the possibilities and I’ll be blogging about our findings here!
Tags: bon taiko, taiko practice
neato burrito. looking forward to seeing how things turn out, very much something I could use.