Where Edmonton Magazine July/August 2018 | Page 18

Where art meets athleticism BY TA M AR A AS CH E N B R E N N E R When Kita no Taiko—translated as “Drums of the North”—first formed in 1986, the small group had no drums, no costumes, and no formal training. Undeterred by their lack of resources, they practiced on spare tires and garbage cans to learn the playing techniques on their own. Together, they built a few crude drums using barrels and plastic pipes, and in 1988, KNT debuted at the annual Heritage Festival as Alberta’s first taiko company. If you’ve seen KNT in action, you’ll know that the special art of taiko fuses music, discipline, athleticism, movement, and Japanese culture. Kita no Taiko seeks to share these values with others in performances, workshops, and classes. Sign up, an