Cabrillo's 4th Annual Evening of World Theatre with Watsonville Taiko

Cabrillo College Theatre Arts presents the Fourth Annual Evening of World Theatre with Watsonville Taiko, in collaboration with Shinsho-Mugen Daiko and LightSpeed Martial Arts Academy, on Feb. 26 in the Cabrillo Crocker Theater.

Taiko srumming ia a traditional form of Japanese drumming that incorporates elements of martial arts and folk art. Watsonville Taiko, founded by Jim Hooker in September 1991, is a Taiko drumming community of performers and supporters. Ikuyo Conant, artistic director since 1992, uses Taiko as an exploration into developing an art form that combines drumming with folklore, mythology and symbolism. 

To establish a clear philosophy behind the art of Taiko, Conant created a bilateral group structure to introduce disciplines of Taiko. There are
two performance groups within Watsonville Taiko: Watsonville Taiko Community Performing Group and  Shinsho-Mugen Daiko.

With this dual structure, the Watsonville Taiko Group studies, learns and preserves the art of traditional and modern styles of Taiko drumming. They also explore other aspects of Japanese culture that may be relevant to the study of the art of Taiko drumming, including, but not limited to, the study of Japanese folklore, music, dance and history.

Joining Watsonville Taiko for World Theater Night is LightSpeed Martial Arts Academy, a family-focused Academy in Scotts Valley, where adults and children can take personalized training to meet their own ultimate goals, whether that goal is simply about getting fit or becoming a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.