TaikoIN’ Body Awareness with Eri Uchida

Join the kaDON team for this special 4-part workshop series led by Eri Uchida! Eri was a performing member of Kodo for 10 years. In addition to performances, she also oversaw activities and training for incoming Kodo apprentices and facilitated several workshops for visitors from within and outside of Japan. After departing Kodo in 2019, she shared her ideas about taiko philosophy and workshop approach with Sydney Shiroyama (Occupational Therapist) and together created the concept of TaikoIN’ (https://www.taiko-in.com/). Through TaikoIN’, Eri plans to share the skills and philosophies she has learned from her taiko career with hopes of expanding the possibilities of taiko and its community.

Workshop Description 

With an overall purpose of encouraging self-care for mind and body (especially in today’s world climate), Eri will guide us through her thought process and approach for practicing mindfulness and awareness for our bodies. The three concepts to explore and understand in order to develop full body awareness are your sense of gravity, sense of liquid, and sense of center. 

Each 60-min class in this series will focus on one of these concepts (with a combination of dialogue and exercises) and ultimately lead into the fourth class being a culmination of all three concepts. These three concepts will reveal techniques for maximizing physical relaxation, which helps promote efficiency (and thus, longevity) of our bodies for both playing taiko and conducting everyday activities whether at home, work, or recreation. After each class, there will also be an optional opportunity to chat with Eri for Q&A, as well as meet other workshop participants from around the world!

“So much change has happened in everyone’s life in today’s world. No one could have imagined this. I was very anxious at the beginning, but it turned out to be such a precious time for me to self-reflect. As I brought more focus to my mind, body, and soul, I realized there was much I wanted to share with the world, especially to those who need to relax and find moments to breathe. We often get influenced by our surroundings and become anxious without realizing it. Thus, the first step is to realize it. Feel how you are feeling in the moment. There are different perspectives to be aware of in order to find release. I’d like to share with you each of these different concepts and I hope this workshop series will help you provide yourself with self-care. You will feel the energy of others even more when you are able to take care of yourself. I’m looking forward to sharing this experience with all of you!” 

– Eri

Workshop Series (60-min each + optional 30-min for “community” hangout)

(To have the full experience of Eri’s teachings, we highly encourage you to sign up for the entire series as each class builds upon each other. Even if you cannot attend every date, we will send you a link to a recording of any or all classes for viewing at your own time.)

Schedule

Thursday, July 30 Class 1:  Sense of “Gravity”
Thursday, August 6 Class 2:  Sense of “Liquid”
Thursday, August 13 Class 3:  Sense of “Center”
Thursday, August 20 Class 4: BringIN’ It All Together

All classes are one hour in duration starting at:

6:00 PM PT (Los Angeles)
8:00 PM CT (Chicago)
9:00 PM ET (New York City)
Friday 10:00 AM JST (Tokyo)
Friday 9:00 AM (Singapore/Hong Kong)

What do I need?

  • Some space to move and lie down, especially to spread both arms out to the side and above
  • Comfortable clothes that you can move and stretch in.
  • A device to connect to Zoom (link provided to registrants 1 day before event)
  • Optional pen and paper if you’d like to take notes!
  • Water (stay hydrated).
  • For specific classes:
    • Class 1: Gravity – Pillow, cushion. We will also be doing some massage so please be barefoot or with socks. A tennis ball will be helpful for foot massage if not using your hands.
    • Class 2: Liquid – Space to lay down and something to lay down on (yoga mat)
    • Class 4: BringIN’ It All Together – Bachi (the lightest pair you have. If you don’t have bachi, no problem!)