TAO's Toned Performers Stir Up the CFA

TAO's Toned Performers Stir Up the CFA

ADRIEN D'ANGELO

Staff Writer

The typical drummer's responsibility is to attend band practice, not run 10 kilometers a day, sprint uphill, or do hundreds of pushups.

For the drummers of TAO: The Art of Drum, that's only a small portion of the daily routine. The performers use their hard, military-style conditioning to gather the stamina, energy, and precision needed for the physically draining show that includes wide range of disciplines.

With a sound like a stampede, these entertainers showcased their musical skill and toned physiques for over 600 attendees at the Center for the Arts on Wednesday. This was no drum recital - it was a high-energy mish-mash of entertainment that reverberated through the theatre.

Arisa Nishi, a 16-year-old TAO veteran, explained what it took to put on such a performance.

"Motivation, power, and energy; the first thing is motivation," Nishi said. "We're not only playing drums, we also have to make it entertainment, so it's visual, like acting."

TAO derives from a traditional Japanese drumming style known as Taiko (Japanese for "wide drum"). The cast uses monstrous instruments - with some as high as eight feet - to produce a huge sound that reaches into an ancient culture. But those who witness TAO attest that the show goes far beyond the traditional.

Lavish costumes, savvy choreography, and humorous crowd interactions allowed TAO to stand out as a modern force of entertainment with savoir-faire of mighty beats.

"The music itself is so different," Nishi said. "We do use [traditional] melodies, but we edit them in our own modern way...Most of [these songs] are original, right out of the box."

The contemporary music brings rhythm and showmanship together in a way that hasn't banged up a stage since Stomp, and TAO may soon gain recognition comparable to international sensations like Cirque du Soleil.

Japan-inspired backdrops made Nishi feel at home on stage as the silhouette-encased performer swayed before a red sphere, while beating a six-foot drum - its rhythm resembling a pulsing heart. This was a drastic contrast to her flute playing, which brought out her elegance, subtlety, and warmness.

Nishi, like several TAO members, is a multi-instrumentalist. She and her cast use exotic equipment like the shamisen (which resembles a banjo), the koto (a harp-like instrument), bamboo xylophones, and several distinct drums in order to add spice to an already dazzling display.

"They added something new, something fresh," said Henry Lu, a senior art history major. "I've never seen anything like this before."

TAO performers left Akakabuto, their large training ground located in the Aso-Kuju Japanese National Park, for their second U.S. tour. Nishi said there's a great deal of musical training, but physical conditioning is greatly emphasized. Performers sprint uphill in what is called "the sagamichi dash," drum without breaks for up to an hour, and work the stage-specific muscles that help these entertainers look like drum gods and goddesses.

The group's first show in Buffalo was outwardly intense and vigorous, and they received a standing ovation, as well as many impressed looks from the audience.

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