About This Show
Ichida Nyukon presents a unique fusion of traditional Japanese Taiko drumming and American funk tap dance, using Japanese Taiko drums, African Djimbe drums, hand-held wooden clappers, thick wooden drumsticks and a samisen (Japanese banjo). The young, hip Japanese ensemble, Cobu (translated as “Dance like Drumming, Drum like Dancing”), is made up of seven women and two men, sporting dramatically dyed hair and a hard-edged attitude. The cast is lead by the show’s creator, Yako Miyamoto, who began her Taiko drum studies in Tokyo at the age of eight. She currently stars in the hit Off-Broadway show, Stomp, as well as being a lead performer in the Peggy Spina Tap Company. Ichida Nyukon is a visual and musical thrill for audiences of all ages. No knowledge of Japanese or English is necessary to enjoy the show.
“Powerful, primal and exotic, but simultaneously lighthearted, fun and familiar.”
– The New York Times
“Dynamic! The Performers tap with the same ferocity they bring to their virtuosic drumming. This unlikely juxtaposition of music and dance styles works like a charm.”
– The Chicago Sun-Times