Before leaving for winter break, Bowdoin’s Taiko ensemble offered a holiday performance, “A Very Merry Taiko Christmas,” in the Sargent Gym.

Taiko (meaning “drumming” or “a drum” in Japanese) is a performance art that involves beating drums (taiko) with large drumsticks (bachi). The type of taiko that’s been played at Bowdoin since the club formed in 2002 is Kumi Daiko, or “˜ensemble drumming,’ which is a type of performance art. It involves beating drums in coordinated movements (taikobaka). “The visual impact of the choreography, the sound of the drums and the feeling of the rhythmic patterns are equally important aspects of the complete performance. Taiko combines music and dance into a stunning audio-visual spectacle,” the club’s website says.

A Very Merry Taiko Christmas from Bowdoin College on Vimeo.