Odaiko Sonora Harvest '08
From left: The first Rhythm Industry Performance Factory Review on Sept. 13 featured work by many of the groups working in our studio, including aerial silks and pyrotechnic theatre by members of Flam Chen; students at Blenman Elementary learning taiko during a 5-week residency.
Spare a sawbuck?
How do we operate? Each year, we perform over 45 times; teach school residencies that touch the lives of more than 6,000 kids; conduct team-building and leadership workshops for youth and professionals; hold ongoing classes; and maintain a Community Group, whose membership fees provide an ongoing source of income, as do monthly donations from the Friends of Odaiko Sonora. Also, as most of you know, we operate one of Tucson’s most vital performing arts incubator spaces. This studio supports the creative efforts of award-winning groups Flam Chen, Batucaxé, Thom Lewis Dance, Theatrical Mime Theatre, Movement Salon and Funhouse Movement Theater, among others, and provides us some—albeit below market rate—rental income.
Last spring we set an internal goal of raising $20,000 by October 15, 2008—our two-year anniversary of buying the building—to go towards the studio mortgage. With only days to go, we’ve reached 75% of our goal, and are making a rare, all-hands-on-deck request to our entire e-list to help us get there. We don’t ask often. As performing arts/education groups go, Odaiko Sonora has greater earned income potential than most. But right now, we need YOUR help to meet our goal.
If
each person on our list donates a mere $10, we will reach that goal!
Please help us close our campaign successfully by donating now.
Your gift will help us continue bringing taiko to southern Arizona. Of
the 13,000 people we reach each year, 97% enjoy the music and energy we
give to our community absolutely free! If you’ve seen us
play, please consider supporting us now with a $10–$20 donation.
Three ways to give:
- On most pages of our website and click on the “Donate now through Network for Good” button at the top right. Our record heading is “North American Dance and Folk Alliance,” which is our group exemption name. Click on the “Donate Now” button and either login (if you already have a Network for Good profile) or create profile (remember to write down your password somewhere you can find it later). It’s very easy and completely secure. Once you’re in the database, you can donate. If you have trouble getting back to our specific record, just search on “taiko” and “Tucson” and we’ll pop up. This might be a good time to sign up for a monthly donation! :-)
- Send a check to Odaiko Sonora, 5732 E. 2nd Street, Tucson, AZ 85711
- Call Karen, (520) 481-8003, to talk you through the above or other ways to give. :-)
If you choose the last option, remember it might take a few days for me to get back to you, seeing as how we have...
... A huge weekend of taiko!
If you look at our upcoming weekend, you’ll understand how we manage to do 45 performances and workshops a year. Friday and Saturday nights we’ll be providing music for a suite of newly choreographed works by Funhouse Movement Theater at the Demeester band shell in Reid Park. Saturday at noon we’ll be at Tucson Meet Yourself on the downtown Main Library Plaza stage, and Sunday we’ll appear at the Patagonia Fall Festival. Like most of our appearances, these are FREE to the public; the more the merrier! See below for more details.
In these turbulent times, it’s more important than ever to get enough rest and take time to enjoy life—maybe by catching a free show by your friendly neighborhood taiko group! It’s difficult to do when things are stressful, but it really does help. I promise.
We wish you a very pleasant autumn.
Arigatou gozaimasu!
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