ICHIDA NYUKON -- FUSION OF JAPANESE DRUMMING & AMERICAN FUNK TAP DANCE

Percussive dance troupe COBU ignites the stage with its distinctive blend of traditional Japanese Taiko drumming and American funk tap dance in ICHIDA NYUKON, translated as "One Beat. One Soul". The young, cutting edge Japanese ensemble presents a visual and musical feast for audiences of all ages. Using Japanese Taiko drums, African djembe drums, thick wooden drumsticks, hand-held wooden clappers and samisen (Japanese banjo), the group of seven women and two men, sporting dynamic traditional and modern costumes and dramatically dyed hair, take the audience on a journey through the senses with their highly charged performances.

Creator and Director Yako Miyamoto has starred in the Off-Broadway hit STOMP for the past six years and is the lead performer in the Peggy Spina Tap Company. She began her Taiko drum studies in Tokyo at the age of eight. In 2000, she created COBU, which is translated as "Dance like Drumming, Drum like Dancing", to pay homage to her Japanese heritage and the soul and beats of her new home, New York City. Pairing traditional Japanese Taiko drums with African djembe drums and American funk tap dance allowed Ms. Miyamoto to bring two cultures together in an amazing whirlwind of excitement, joy and harmony.

No knowledge of Japanese or English is necessary to enjoy the experience! For all ages.


Cast: Yako Miyamoto-Choreographer , Hana Ogata-Dancer , Yuki Yamamori-Dancer , Reiko Morikawa-Dancer , Masaru Mori-Dancer , Nozomi Gunji-Dancer , Hiroko Micro Fukuyama-Dancer , Asami Hayata-Dancer , Nobuya Nagahama-Dancer