SVDSN Summer Taiko Workshop

Saturday from 10:30-11:30 am: 

June 25, 2022

On Saturday, June 25, SVDSN will be holding a taiko workshop for vaccinated self advocates, ages 12 and up. We held outdoor taiko classes last year, and due to popular demand, our OT instructor, Sydney Shiroyama, will continue holding workshops for SVDSN. 

This workshop will be held at the Palo Alto Buddhist Temple located at 2751 Louis Road in Palo Alto. Self-advocates will be introduced to ensemble Japanese drumming. While taiko, the drum, has long existed in Japanese traditions, the ensemble style of taiko, a.k.a. kumidaiko, we play in North America only developed in Japan in the 1950's! This relatively new style of taiko evokes excitement and a celebratory atmosphere and is found in many festivals in Japan. In America, taiko was nurtured by the Japanese American communities during the Asian American civil rights movement in the 1960's and 1970's, and had particularly strong roots in Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Churches (Buddhist Churches of America). As a result, taiko gained visibility and popularity as a vibrant performing art, inspiring groups to form across the U.S. in diverse communities, schools, and colleges, and even in Europe and South America. Taiko is an art form that lends itself to inclusivity and unity-- it gives everyone a voice and the opportunity to be heard. SVDSN is excited to be partnering with TaikoPeace, the Palo Alto Buddhist Temple, and Sydney Shiroyama to bring taiko to our families. 

In this workshop, Sydney and her instruction team will be working with self advocates, introducing them to the foundations and fundamentals of taiko playing. We will use the standard "kuchi-shoga" method that taiko players use to teach pieces to one another, chanting the drumming patterns out loud as they are learning to physically drum the movements, using words or sounds that are assigned to certain movements and rhythms. We will introduce students to foundational movements and phrases that frequently appear in other pieces. 

This workshop is ideal for students who are new to taiko or are interested in learning more about taiko. 

SVDSN will follow the same protocols developed during the 2021 summer inclusive workshops and used during the fall, winter, and spring classes to keep our community safe: 

• The instruction team and any volunteers are fully vaccinated and will wear masks. 
• The instructor may switch to a face shield while giving active instruction to provide visual cues to the participants. Social distancing will be expected while the instructor is wearing a face shield.  
• All participants are fully vaccinated, boosted, if eligible, and will wear a mask. (If the self advocate is unable to wear a mask, please let us know.) 
• Classes will be held outdoors. 
• No food is permitted during class. (Water is permitted as we will take water breaks during class.) 
• A fully-vaccinated adult must check in the self advocate at the start of class and must be available by phone if not staying on premises while class is in session. 
• An online health check form needs to be completed before each class, and temperatures will be taken of all individuals who are on site. 

We will continue to monitor state, county, and local host venue guidelines throughout the class series and adjust as needed. Thank you for your understanding as we work to keep our community safe! 

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions, but we hope to see you at taiko! 

Dates: Saturday, June 25, 2022

Time: 10:30-11:30am PT

Location: Palo Alto Buddhist Temple, 2751 Louis Road, Palo Alto (outdoors)

Cost: $20/class for SVDSN members*; $30/class for non-SVDSN members 

*Note: scholarships are available to SVDSN families; signing up to join SVDSN is free! Please email svdsnprograms@gmail.com with your request.