NATC 2011 recommendations!

If you hadn't heard, registration for the 2011 North American Taiko Conference has started over at www.taikoconference.org. For those who are new (or relatively new) to NATC , I'd like to offer some suggestions! Mind you, these are just my opinions. :)

Overall:

1. Make connections! If you're standing in line at registration, in a discussion session, a workshop, etc., find out who's next to you and introduce yourself. The friendships that come from conference can last a long time, and you never know who'll pass by your practices one day!
2. Try not to stick with your own group so much. You get to see them all the time! It'll limit the people you get to meet and can come off as clique-ish to others.
   
3. Don't forget to enjoy yourself! The schedule is packed pretty tight, but if you don't make time for yourself to breathe, you'll burn yourself out. You'll enjoy yourself more if you don't try to do everything.
   
4. The schedule doesn't account for lot of stuff. There's traditionally been a gathering/party right after Taiko Jam, and there used to be parties held on the rooftop of the hotels in Little Tokyo or the clubs/bars each night. Who knows what you might find!

Workshops:

1. If you haven't experienced some of the taiko "classics" (Tanaka-sensei, Roy & PJ Hirabayashi, etc.) make sure you sign up now while you can! Who can say when they'll stop teaching at NATC? Don't wait two years only to find out that they've retired...
   
2. Even though there are instructors from Japan, don't assume that automatically means a better workshop. Base a workshop on what you want to learn and the expertise of a person, as well as what you can find out about their teaching style.
   
3. I personally recommend:

• Body Music Workshop (Keith Terry). Learning how to internalize rhythm in your body is something any taiko player can use. Plus, Keith is a great teacher. I've had several workshops with him outside of taiko circles and still use what he taught me.
  
• Improvisation - Spontaneous Creativity (Russel Baba). Russel is one of those "classics" that has a style and manner you can't find anywhere else.
• Anything by Kenny Endo. Kenny knows his stuff. Aside from the actual drills I learned, the perspective and ideas he can give are worth a workshop in themselves.
• Anything by Roy and/or PJ. The amount of experience that both of these have is amazing, and they have a variety of topics that they can teach well.

Afterwards:

1. Take what you learned and apply it! Practice songs and drills, write down anything you remember before it's lost to time. Ten years from now, are you going to remember everything told to you over those three days?
2. Keep in touch with the people you got to know. Whether it's Facebook or an email or something more personal, thank those who touched you and made your experience special.

-----

Ultimately, conference is a blast, no matter what you do! These are just my ideas and suggestions based the last 6 NATCs that I've been at. I hope to see most of you there - look for the tall pale guy avoiding the sun!