Drumming and Dancing to a Japanese Beat

The flowers may have fallen from the trees in the Tidal Basin, but the Japanese-influenced Cherry Blossom Festival is still in full bloom in DC.

The Tamagawa University Taiko Drum and Dance Troupe, which has been touring the world since 1961, performed tonight on the Millennium Stage of the Kennedy Center as part of the 2012 festival.

The most fascinating of the 7 numbers performed was the Zeni-taiko, a traditional folk dance from the Shimane prefecture. In this dance, exquisitely clad dancers in kimonos twirl and toss special aqua blue drumsticks with coins inside as they continue to rhythmically move around all parts of the stage. According to ancient tradition, the coins express hope for a year of happiness.

The other 6 numbers were

• Kunsa, a drum piece created by Kazuhiro Tsuyiki to express appreciation for life
• Kasa-odori, a traditional folk dance of the Tottori prefecture which expresses wishes for rainfall after a long draught
• Nadeshiko, a piece created for the 2012 tour which expresses loveliness and the strength of of women.
• Chikara, a powerful drum piece with the theme of perseverance
• Jongara, a traditional folk dance of Tsuguru in the Amori prefecture which is designed to lift village spirits during a long, harsh winter and
• Ren, a drum piece expressing both the power of the wind in the mountains and wishes for world peace and harmony

You can watch the full performance by clicking on this Kennedy Center link since every Millennium Stage performance is taped and archived.

Tales, Tidbits, and Tips
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the first cherry trees being part of the Washington scene. The Millennium Stage is also marking a celebration - the 15th year of providing a world-class performance 365 days a year at 6 p.m. for free. You can click here to discover what the rest of April's schedule will be.