sandoshin taiko
Sandoshin Taiko, meaning “dragon’s mountain pass”, was formed in 2000 as a means of blending taiko with various martial art styles. The home of Sandoshin Taiko is the Morgan Hill Buddhist Community Center, located in Morgan Hill, California.
Sandoshin Taiko also has a relationship with Renkishin Dojo, a school that offers the martial arts of Shikon Ryu Aikibudo (Japanese Jujutsu-based system) and Toyama-Ryu (sword fighting system). The partnership of martial arts and taiko thus provides a very unique, rich medium to draw from in integrating the different styles into the world of taiko music.
The choreography for the group is exciting and dynamic, using bakuto “wooden sword”, iaito “non-sharpened blade” and eskrima “bamboo sticks” as additional elements that add to the taiko music. In some performances, audience members might be fortunate enough to experience actual cutting demonstrations where a shinken “live blade” is used to cut through tatami targets.
The philosophy behind the group is to express the inner spirit “ki” within oneself through taiko drumming. The beauty behind the group is two-fold: martial artists with no musical background can learn taiko and taiko drummers with no martial arts experience can learn several different martial art styles. Additionally, those who wish to only focus on the music can do so without participating in the martial art demonstrations.
Ikuyo Conant is the teacher for Sandoshin Taiko. She is also the Artistic Director for Shinsei Daiko, Shinsho Mugen Daiko and Watsonville Taiko.
Sandoshin Taiko is a community group that welcomes players of all ages and abilities.
Sandoshin Taiko also has a relationship with Renkishin Dojo, a school that offers the martial arts of Shikon Ryu Aikibudo (Japanese Jujutsu-based system) and Toyama-Ryu (sword fighting system). The partnership of martial arts and taiko thus provides a very unique, rich medium to draw from in integrating the different styles into the world of taiko music.
The choreography for the group is exciting and dynamic, using bakuto “wooden sword”, iaito “non-sharpened blade” and eskrima “bamboo sticks” as additional elements that add to the taiko music. In some performances, audience members might be fortunate enough to experience actual cutting demonstrations where a shinken “live blade” is used to cut through tatami targets.
The philosophy behind the group is to express the inner spirit “ki” within oneself through taiko drumming. The beauty behind the group is two-fold: martial artists with no musical background can learn taiko and taiko drummers with no martial arts experience can learn several different martial art styles. Additionally, those who wish to only focus on the music can do so without participating in the martial art demonstrations.
Ikuyo Conant is the teacher for Sandoshin Taiko. She is also the Artistic Director for Shinsei Daiko, Shinsho Mugen Daiko and Watsonville Taiko.
Sandoshin Taiko is a community group that welcomes players of all ages and abilities.