Rythym sticks on show

The Tao Drummers put on a lively and exhilarating show.

The intensely dynamic Japanese Tao Drummers make their debut appearance in New Zealand with Beat Of The Globe on Monday, March 7, at the Auckland Town Hall.

Beat Of The Globe is usually held in the Kuju Highlands, where over a million people have already seen this spectacularly vibrant show. A sell-out at last year's Edinburgh festival, reviewers raved about the unique art form.

The Tao Drummers, who began performing in 1993, are renowned in Japan for their boundless energy, rhythmic drumming and visually impressive stage presence.
The drummers use the traditional Japanese Taiko instrument in their performance, which critics say will leave you in tears. Traditionally the drummers are Japanese, but last year saw Chinese, Taiwanese and Koreans join the line-up.

According to director and founder Ikuo Fujitaka, Tao drumming is a contemporary Japanese performance that combines Asian instruments with Japanese rhythm.

"We make music with modern sensitivity. To do so we research the Japanese traditional instrument and music deeply. Then we introduce Tao to the world in the point of uniting Asian instruments and music to Japanese ones," says Fujitaka.

The Tao Drummers have a strong following in Japan, selling over 100,000 tickets a year to their performances.

The core cast comprises 16 members, with 11 men and five women. The lead role in Beat Of The Globe is played by a woman. There are also three trainers putting the performers through an intense and vigorous daily schedule.

The drummers are very disciplined and have a strict regime to follow under Fujitaka's leadership.

Making it as a Tao drummer is no easy feat. "First we check if they have staying power with testing their 15km running skills and muscle power. Then we check their rhythm for hours. After they pass those tests, we interview them and ask what their motives are," says Fujitaka.

The show combines a compelling story told through the percussion instruments and the finesse of the performers' finely tuned bodies and skills.

"Our audience will never get bored. The performance is strongly impressive with performers' well-trained bodies and their technique and the sense of speed. We promise that the audience who see our show will be greatly moved," says Fujitaka. 

* What: Tao Drummers: Beat of the Globe

* When: 7-10 March, 7.30pm

* Where: Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall