For the first 10 years of my taiko career, I hated improvisation.  It led only to frustrating glitches and disappointment.  I have since learned the importance of "being good to the puppy" and the essential role of "rhythm vocabulary", and these concepts have led me to a more light-hearted appreciation of improvisation.  This workshop lays out the path, as I see it, the obstacles along the way, and the potential benefits of being a comfortable improvisor.

"Choreography neighborhoods" are classes of taiko movements that emerge from a given stance or prompt.  This workshop introduces Arugakki's most useful neighborhoods, including R-arm circles, X pattern, and "Handtagonism".