Being in relationship with an art form from another land and culture can be deeply enriching and rewarding. Taiko has been played and loved in the UK for almost thirty years and enjoyed by thousands of people. As a taiko player here, have you ever wondered at its place within our culture?  This landscape? These islands?

How could your taiko playing bring you into deeper connection with yourself? What if our taiko practice gave us a sense of belonging here? How would you write a taiko piece that is a love song to the place you call home?

How would you drum up the sun..?

We will travel together beyond our ability to learn where beats are placed within a taiko piece. We will journey into the origins of your drumbeats, discover how they are created, where they come from and bring them to life in practice and performance.

The invitation is to come to the beautiful Teign Valley in South Devon, and spend three days together sleeping under canvas, close to the earth, playing, creating, co- creating, making, moving, with beauty, nature, voice, fire, great food, in shared space, together and alone.

Together we will:

Co-create a different kind of taiko piece beyond what’s possible indoors, informed by the elements, that brings us together in connection with self, the land and others.
Learn a drum rhythm that was written for and lives here in Devon.
Experience meaningful placement of learned technique – moving away from the habitual practice and listen in to what is called for in the moment.
Spend time out on the land, and in a beautiful cob barn with the drums.
Come away with both tangible and intangible gifts to carry with us on our taiko journeys.

About your facilitators:

Hannah-Jasmine is the Founder and Director of Taiko Journey, leads a community taiko collective, and teaches taiko in Devon. ‘HJ’ has 15 years experience teaching, performing and creating and is a TaikoPeace Co-heart, committed to activating self-empowerment, unleashing creativity, sparking co- collaboration, and healing the human spirit. HJ is passionate about meeting the unknown, is in-love with Dartmoor and wild spaces, and is learning to love to sing!

Tina Sharman is a director and facilitator at On the Hill, carrying forward a lived understanding of how engagement with the outdoor environment, using natural materials, and encouraging the deepening of relationship to each other and with ourselves can nourish and resource our lives. Tina is a breathwork practitioner, coach, potter, plays with an interactive theatre group and loves the polytunnel.

Tina and HJ have known each other for 13 years, and during this time our paths have crossed and intertwined, and we have learned from and been inspired by each other’s work.

HJ has been on retreat with Tina and found her to compassionately support deep enquiry, skilfully hold space for powerful transformation and deliver her work in a sensitive, collaborative way that supports inspiring personal change.

Tina‘s experiences of taiko with HJ have been exciting, surprising and emboldening and she has been consistently impressed by her clarity, skill and power.

We trust each other’s integrity.

We found ourselves making drums together on Dartmoor, have walked together, worked on the land together, explored ideas, questions and vulnerabilities…

Over time we discovered a shared desire to co-create an experience that brings people into community, into connection with themselves, with the land and around the drum.

Through weaving together our skills and experiences we hope to provide a unique offering that supports you to move forward in a deeper relationship with your practice and with life.

About your stay:

Meals will be created in our outdoor kitchen/dining barn from organic ingredients making use of whatever is available from the garden.
We have 2 hot showers and two rather good compost toilets!
You are welcome to bring your own tent if you prefer, otherwise accommodation will be in shared bell tents with comfortable mattresses.
The facility at the farm has been created with the aim of you feeling at home, offering a degree of comfort, while inviting you to connect with the elements and sink into the beauty of both a natural and gardened environment.

To see more about the farm, visit: www.onthehill.camp

This invitation is for taiko players who are part of, or who have been part of a regular practice, or those with some previous experience who feel inspired by the this invitation.

If you’re interested, but you don’t have taiko experience, or want to deeply explore land and drumming connection in a wider context, there is another residential, August 3rd-6th. More info to come.

Reserving your place:

You can either pay a deposit, or pay in full, below. Please note that the option to pay a deposit will expire on March 26th. After that date you will need to pay the full amount. When you have paid your deposit, your balance will be due by April 28th.

If your financial circumstances prevent you from participating in this event, please contact HJ & Tina ([email protected]) to apply for a discounted bursary place.

We look forward to welcoming you to Taiko Journey On the Hill.