| Despite the heat, Odaiko Sonora's Communiity
Group and Performers are plowing through drills and repertoire.
Summer offers the opportunity to focus on technical skills—
something the gig-driven fall, winter and spring seasons can't
afford. Performers and understudies are taking units on body
mechanics and theatrical mime to improve technique and stage
presence.
Rome and Karen returned from nine days in the Bay area. They
trained with Tamaribuchi sensei, attended the Sacramento and
San Jose Obon Festivals. It was a wonderful time for connecting
with other taiko community friends in Sacramento Taiko Dan,
San Jose Taiko and Somei Yoshino Taiko Ensemble. In addition,
Karen took several hours of shamisen lessons with sensei Hideko
Nakajima, and will unveil new skills in our upcoming season.
News Flash: Mark your calendars for Saturday,
Sept. 13, our first Rhythm Industry Performance
Factory Showcase from 7:00pm–10:00pm.
This new quarterly review features work by all the arts groups
who make our studio warehouse home for their artistic energy.
You'll see Flam Chen, Odaiko Sonora, Theatrical Mime Theatre
and more! Donations at the door support this crucial arts
incubator space.
New taiko classes begin in September. See our Classes
page for details. In addition, we have drop-in classes
on Wed., July 23, Aug. 13, 20 & 27 at
1:00pm. Email karen@tucsontaiko.org
or call (520) 327-1228 for information.
Taijichuan with Tony, Ballet
with Lois Black, and Aerial Silks with Flam
Chen continue at our studio, newly dubbed Rhythm Industry
Performance Factory. See the schedule
of activities.
|
Top: The Buddhist Church
of Sacramento
held it's annual bon odori on July 12.
Below: San Jose Taiko's performance is
one of the highlights of their
community's
two-day Obon festival. The event is central
to what is now one of the only remaining
original
Japantowns in the United States.
|
Odaiko Sonora is a 501(c)3
arts education agency supported in part by your tax dollars,
granted through Arizona
Commission on the Arts (with funding from the State of
Arizona and the National Endowment for the Arts) and the Tucson
Pima Arts Council (with funding from the City of Tucson
and Pima County). Partial funding also comes from individiuals
and corporations through the Community
Foundation for Southern Arizona, the Ralph L. Smith Foundation,
City of Tucson Ward Education funds, and Friends of Odaiko
Sonora. Thank you for making us possible! |
