Song Profile: Tsurugi no Mai

Tsurugi no Mai was written around 2002 by former member Robin Yang while in medical school. Translating to “Dancing with Swords” or “Sword Dance,” the piece was inspired by Robin’s brief exploration of Wu Shu, a contemporary form of Chinese martial arts, along with dreams conjured from the occasional martial arts film. Definitely not one of our happy festival pieces, the mood of the song is very intense and powerful. 

The main body of the song is composed with two sides playing alternating lines in a duel, but what makes this song particularly unique is the focus is the choreography. Robin had some training in dance, and she incorporated a series of blocking and stabbing movements, along with a slow “dance” around the drum positions, as if the players are in battle with an opponent. The choreography adds a lot of visual interest, but it’s also a challenge because it requires strength and flexibility in places that aren’t necessarily typical of taiko. We like it because it brings a different attitude to our playing style.

Tsurugi no Mai was recorded on our first album, Drive.

Above photography is courtesy of Kevin Dingman.