Where to learn Taiko on Long Island

The first thing you notice about taiko is not the sound — it’s the vibration.

The deep boom of the Japanese drums seems to travel through the floor and into your chest, equal parts music, movement and adrenaline. Then come the synchronized arm swings, shouted cues and rhythmic strikes that turn drumming into something closer to a full-body performance.

“It has a sound that penetrates your body,” said Arleen Sotomayor, 53, a Levittown travel planner who joined the Bethpage-based Umi Sora Taiko ensemble in 2021 after friends invited her to try it. “You feel the energy coming off the drums and the music.”

Taiko, which means “drum” in Japanese, has roots stretching back centuries in Japan and East Asia. Historically, the instruments were used in religious ceremonies, festivals and even long-distance communication between villages.

Today, taiko has evolved into a performing art blending rhythm, athletic movement and community. While the form originated in Japan, groups across the United States — including several on Long Island — now welcome beginners with little or no musical experience.

“Taiko is much more than just a musical instrument,” said Marcelo Maziero, 55, a graphic artist and founder of the Bethpage-base ensemble. “Taiko is fun. Taiko is therapy. Taiko is community.”

Maziero first discovered taiko in 2013 at a Japanese New Year festival connected to a Japanese language school. Fascinated by the performances, he and his wife began studying with a group in Suffolk County before eventually launching their own ensemble in 2019.

The group now practices in Maziero’s garage, surrounded by drums he built himself.

For newcomers, taiko may look intimidating, but players say the learning curve is gentler than expected.

Sotomayor, who had no musical background before joining, said she was performing publicly within months of starting practice. Instead of traditional sheet music, many groups teach rhythms through vocal patterns and repetition.

Practices can also be surprisingly physical, as players crouch, step, swing and move to the rhythm. Some routines leave participants winded.

“The visuals are part of the song,” Sotomayor said.