Our Summer Bento is BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!
Summer 2026: “Build Your Own Taiko Bento”
Join us for a series of workshops in July and August and build your own bento box … taiko style! 😁
We’ve got an awesome variety of workshops available … and whether you’re looking for your first “taste” of a new taiko style or you’re a more experienced player who’s eager to brush up on skills you may not have practiced in awhile, we’ve got workshops for you!
Schedule
Sunday
July 12
@ Dance Exchange
Sunday
July 19
@ Dance Exchange
Sunday
July 26
@ Dance Exchange
Sunday
Aug 2
@ Dance Exchange
Sunday
Aug 23
@ Dance Exchange
Sunday
Aug 30
@ Dance Exchange
Rather than offering a “one size fits all” class series this summer, we’ve decided to let YOU choose the right mix of topics and times to suit your own taiko journey.
Take Multiple Workshops & Save!
workshop = $50
workshops = $90 [save $10]
workshops = $130 [save $20]
workshops = $160 [save $40]
workshops = $35/ea [save 30%!]
We welcome current and returning Mark H Taiko students as well as our friends from the wider taiko community who’d like a quick trip to DC. So check out the “menu” of options below and get started building your 2026 taiko bento!
Fundamentals Workshop
Naname Bachi Maneuvers
Add a bit of spice to your taiko bento!
Don’t miss this chance to experience Mark’s most often-requested workshop … now back with a twist (pun totally intended)!
Mark’s bachi maneuvers aren’t just for impressing your fellow taiko players in the studio during classes and practices … they are meant to help you create unique and memorable performances, and naname style offers the perfect opportunity to use these fun and creative skills!
In this workshop, you’ll learn how to spin, throw and catch your bachi as part of any solo, performance, or composition. You’ll get time to practice your bachi maneuvers while playing on naname uchi. And Mark H will reveal the secrets to making simple tricks appear more impressive as well as the deeper, universal philosophies behind these (seemingly) superfluous skills.
Prerequisite: 3 MHT class series (or 1 year of taiko experience) + at least 1 naname-uchi class series
July 26
2:00 – 4:30pm
$50
Location: Dance Exchange (Studio 1)
7117 Maple Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912
Max number of participants: 24
Fundamentals Workshop
Taiko Communication
Back by popular demand! We haven’t offered this workshop in a few years, so don’t miss out!
In this unique workshop, you’ll work on all the skills needed to be a great kumidaiko player and performer. Mark H helps you focus on the connection and communication between taiko players with a variety of fun exercises that are designed to develop your awareness, listening, and interaction with your fellow taiko drummers as you play.
This workshop also gives you a great foundation for improvisation and soloing in a kumidaiko context, helping you share your energy, expand your taiko vocabulary, and MORE!
This is a great workshop for those who are looking to up their taiko game, build their skills in kumidaiko performance, and have a great time connecting with other taiko folx.
Prerequisite: 3 MHT class series (or 1 year of taiko experience)
July 19
5:00 – 7:30pm
$50
Location: Dance Exchange (Studio 1)
7117 Maple Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912
Max number of participants: 24
All-Levels Workshop
Drills & Skills for Beta-uchi
Don’t let your taiko skills lapse between taiko sessions! Keep those “taiko muscles” (both literal and metaphorical) in good shape with drills that you can practice on your own at home … or on the Metro … or at your desk … or just about anywhere!
In this workshop, Mark H will introduce a series of drills that he has been developing (and borrowing) over the past 20+ years, including simple ways to practice the basics and some more challenging exercises that will test your timing, focus, bachi control, and coordination. We’ll also explore drills centered on kumidaiko (playing as a group), because that is the cornerstone of The Mark H Rooney Taiko School!
Prerequisite: At least 1 MHT class series (or 3 months of taiko experience)
July 12
5:00 – 7:30pm
$50
Location: Dance Exchange (Studio 1)
7117 Maple Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912
Max number of participants: 24
All-Levels Workshop
Build your own Gomikan Taiko
Want to practice taiko at home but don’t have your own drum? If you have the space, we recommend making a gomikan (trashcan) taiko.
Making a gomikan taiko isn’t too hard, but there are definitely some specific tools you need and steps you have to follow if you want your gomikan to last through lots of hours of practice time. Join us for this workshop and Mark H will guide you through the process so you have a great practice drum to use at home all summer … and beyond!
All materials will be provided … you only need to bring yourself! Don’t forget that you will be taking your gomikan taiko home with you (best party favor ever, amirite??), so this is NOT the day to walk or bike to the studio!
Prerequisite: Any taiko experience welcome … yes, even just one Intro Taiko Workshop!
July 12
2:00 – 4:30pm
$50*
Location: Dance Exchange (Studio 1)
7117 Maple Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912
Max number of participants: 24
Fundamentals Workshop
Katsugi Okedo Fundamentals
If you’re the kind of person who likes your bento box “to go,” this is the perfect workshop for you!
The okedo-daiko is a tied drum with a barrel-shaped body. It’s lighter than most taiko and thus WAY more portable! “Katsugi” okedo refers to an okedo that is slung on a strap over the shoulder … allowing you to move around AND play at the same time. This style, which is growing increasingly more popular in North American taiko because it offers the chance to play on BOTH heads of the drum, is based on Korean drumming and was made popular by taiko artists like Leonard Eto and Ryutaro Kaneko.
In this workshop, we’ll focus on various techniques for hitting the okedo, learn fun and challenging practice exercises, and spend a LOT of time moving while playing.
Whether you’re new to katsugi okedo or you’ve had katsugi experience in the past and you’d like some fresh feedback and additional practice time, this workshop is for YOU!
Prerequisite: 3 MHT class series (or 1 year of taiko experience)
July 19
2:00 – 4:30pm
$50*
Location: Dance Exchange (Studio 1)
7117 Maple Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912
Max number of participants: 24
Fundamentals Workshop
Intro to Miyake
If you’ve played taiko for a while, you’ve probably come across “Miyake.” This exciting, physically demanding piece has made it around the world thanks to groups like Kodo and Ondekoza.
Miyake-jima is an island located south of Tokyo. Their famous drumming style incorporates traditional festival rhythms that have been played on the island since 1820. In this festival, they keep playing “Miyake” from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. to accompany the mikoshi (portable shrines) that are carried through the town.
The rhythms of “Miyake” may be simple, but the intensity of the piece make it unforgettable!
This workshop will introduce the basic rhythms and form for this dynamic taiko style. We encourage both those who are new to playing “Miyake” as well as those who’d like to refresh their form and technique to register!
Prerequisite: 3 MHT class series (or 1 year of taiko experience)
August 2
2:00 – 4:30pm
$50
Location: Dance Exchange (Studio 1)
7117 Maple Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912
Max number of participants: 24
All-Levels Workshop
Taiko 102
Brand-new this summer!
Our Introductory Taiko Workshop is “Taiko 101” – an initiation into all the basics of taiko playing. This workshop takes you to the next level!
If you’ve recently taken our intro workshop and you’re looking for the next step in your taiko journey, or if you have more experience and want revisit the foundations of taiko in order to improve your playing, this workshop is for YOU!
Mark H will guide you through a set of simple and effective exercises based on his (in)famous “Standard Book of Rhythms” that will help you deepen your understanding of taiko and develop your stance, form, and technique.
Prerequisite: Any taiko experience welcome … yes, even just one Intro Taiko Workshop!
July 26
5:00 – 7:30pm
$50
Location: Dance Exchange (Studio 1)
7117 Maple Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912
Max number of participants: 24
All-Levels Workshop
Taiko Games
Brand-new this summer!
As we always say, taiko is a lot of work if you aren’t having FUN while you’re playing! So yes, we are big believers in games here at Mark H Taiko!
In addition to being just plain fun, the games we’ll play will also help you build your kumidaiko skills: listening to and interacting with your fellow drummers so that you can play to each other’s rhythm and create something extraordinary together!
We’ll focus on two of Mark H’s signature taiko games: “Taiko Ichi” (passing rhythms to one another around a circle … seemingly simple, but not always easy!) and “Taiko Speed Dating” (this is NOT about finding you a new romantic partner but about building taiko vocabulary in order to have lots of short “conversations” with other drummers).
These games are great for everyone – from new to advanced players – so put on your game face and join us!
Prerequisite: At least 1 MHT class series (or 3 months of taiko experience)
August 23
5:00 – 7:30pm
$50
Location: Dance Exchange (Studio 1)
7117 Maple Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912
Max number of participants: 24
All-Levels Workshop
Uchikomi MAX
If you’ve been participating in our Uchikomi sessions over the past year, you already know that Uchikomi is the perfect way to practice how to use our bodies efficiently in order to get the sound that we want from the taiko.
If you haven’t tried Uchikomi yet, you may be wondering …
What is UCHIKOMI?
In Uchikomi, we spend LOTS of time hitting the drum, with fewer interruptions than in your average class or workshop. Practice makes perfect – getting in lots of reps on a single skill is the best way to get your taiko where YOU want it to be!
We’ll focus on repeating simple rhythms instead of memorizing lines from a song so we can focus on the fundamental elements of great taiko playing. After all, even the longest and most complex taiko phrase (and, ultimately, every taiko performance) is made up of individual hits!
Uchikomi helps you learn from the very best teacher: your own body. As you play for long periods, you build strength, stamina, and endurance. There’s no “cheat code” for developing ambidexterity, identifying which muscles you need for the perfect hit, or maintaining an active, stable stance – it takes time and focus.
What is UCHIKOMI MAX?
These special sessions offer you MAX taiko time: longer overall sessions, with longer rounds of drumming, and even more instructor feedback to improve your taiko and to prevent injuries so you can play long-term.
In each Uchikomi session, you’ll get to choose whether you want to play beta-uchi, naname-uchi, odaiko, or shime-daiko (on a first-come, first-served basis … because Mark only has so much space in his van to get drums to the studio, obvs). As long as you’ve had at least a fundamentals-level workshop in the style, you’re good to go.
Uchikomi is for EVERYONE, and you’re encouraged to sign up for BOTH sessions!
Prerequisite: At least 1 MHT class series (or 3 months of taiko experience)
August 2
5:00 – 7:30pm
$50
August 30
5:00 – 7:30pm
$50
Location: Dance Exchange (Studio 1)
7117 Maple Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912
Max number of participants: 24
Fundamentals Workshop
Intro to Yatai Bayashi
This well-known taiko piece is based on festival rhythms from Chichibu. The OG “Yatai Bayashi” features drummers performing inside a festival float (called a yatai) and the different rhythms are used to direct and give energy to those who are carrying the float. That piece was adapted for modern kumidaiko performance by Ondekoza and popularized by Kodo in their many world tours.
One of the unique aspects of Yatai Bayashi is that the chu-daiko players are actually sitting down while playing … but don’t let that fool you into thinking this piece is easy or relaxing! Learning Yatai is all about developing your endurance, your strength, and your core muscles!
This workshop offers a basic introduction to the rhythms and form of the chu-daiko part of Yatai Bayashi – it’s a taiko piece that’s been played by many groups over the years and will help connect you to the broader taiko community both in North America and around the world! Players who are new to the style, as well as those looking for a refresher (and a GREAT workout) are welcome!
Prerequisite: 3 MHT class series (or 1 year of taiko experience)
August 23
2:00 – 4:30pm
$50
Location: Dance Exchange (Studio 1)
7117 Maple Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912
Max number of participants: 24
