Taiko drumming in the community.
Happi Beats
Happi Beats nurtures community well-being through taiko drumming.
Happi Beats empowers people to believe in themselves and unlock their potential through rhythm, movement, and joy.
Happi Beats offers taiko experiences in care homes, community centres to benefit their service users.
Happi Beats performs locally as a community drumming collective.
2,186
hours teaching in the community since 2014
71
hours of performances
12, 325
young people learned
to drum since 2014
Happi Beats
Happi Beats is the community outreach arm that emerged from members of the Taiko Journey Collective (Taiko Journey's performance group). Having gone out into the community to work with people with dementia & Parkinsons Disease, three members in particular wanted to share more taiko experiences with this specific community.
Julie Vaughan, Linda Cameron & Tina McGahey met with Hannah-Jasmine and carved out a path for this great work to continue. Our vision is for Happi Beats to unfurl at its own pace, supported by Hannah-Jasmine, and in return Happi Beats will undertake more of the administration and logistical organisation for this work in the community, freeing her to pursue other projects.
This mutually beneficial relationship reflects how we want to go out into the world. We have each experienced the joys of taiko and felt its effects on our personal lives.
We see, hear & feel how people react to what we do. We want to share what we love with more people.
Core Values
Compassion: We insist that everyone, without exception, is treated with kindness and respect. We believe in ‘no judging of self or others’.
Inclusivity: By embracing diversity we can truly ignite positive social change. We believe in finding a way. It might take longer to get there, it might mean taking a different route, but we will work with anyone who wants to play. We believe in individual progression, not comparison to others.
Wellbeing: We are always mindful of the body (ergonomics) and work with NEFF’s five ways to wellbeing within our sessions to promote physical, mental and emotional wellbeing: Connect, Be active, Take notice, Keep learning, Give.
Collaboration: We believe that collaborating with other artists, practices and events will create a unique style and add to the community spirit of our taiko. We believe in community-written repertoire and promote the copy-left movement – music is for sharing, and credit goes to all contributors.
Self-Expression: Whoever you are comes out in your music – we encourage self-expression in playing and performing taiko, right down to what you want to wear.
Happi Beats - What is a Happi?
A happi, or happi coat, is a calf-length cotton jacket or coat, similar in style to yukata or kimono but less formal.
Many taiko groups wear happi to unite them as a group. For years, Taiko Journey didn't wear anything Japanese as we didn't want to appear dressing in costume, and we felt that t-shirts were more achievable, affordable and comfortable for our members. But, over the years it appeared that a large proportion of our group are talented behind a sewing machine, and wanted more of a costume than our faithful old t-shirts.
The beauty of a happi is that you can wear it over almost anything. Our players can wear what is comfortable, what they feel good in, and put a happi over the top. There is a choice of colour, fabric and design that we can use to bring us together as a team, and showcase our individuality. And so, at this exciting time of change for Taiko Journey, Happi Beats felt right.