Joe Cabotaje

Taiko was not something that I got very much exposure to while growing up in West Virginia, but I would say that my experiences leading up to taiko certainly contributed to where I'm at today as a member of SKT.

Music became a part of my life starting at an early age. I first began piano lessons around the age of 6 and took my last lesson soon after graduating from high school. Within those 12 years were many recitals and performances. I also played the violin for a few years before putting it down and also flirted with learning how to play the drums for a school band. I ended up not pursuing the drums, but I guess the dream never died.

Did I mention that every year from 6th grade through high school, my classmates and I had to dance in my school's variety show? Looking back on that now, I looked forward to the annual extravaganza (it was actually called "Extravaganza") where I had the opportunity to perform on the grand stage of the Capitol Music Hall. Nothing too impressive, but fun nonetheless.

Anyway, on to Northwestern University, where I joined the school's Filipino student organization, Kaibigan, to get more in touch with my cultural identity. Within a few months, I was learning Filipino folk dances (tinikling is my favorite) and again, ended up on stage, performing and choreographing cultural dances... and even a little hip-hop.

Being in a college student group that performs Filipino dances in Chicago also gave me exposure to many other cultural traditions through joint events, which is how I got my first experience seeing and feeling taiko. I can only recall seeing two taiko performances, the first being a children's taiko group and the Chicago Cultural Center and the second being a trio that played a short gig at our student center. But those two occasions were enough to get me hooked - I had to try it.

Fast-forward to 2007 when I had found out I'd be moving to Seattle for a new job. One of my first thoughts was to find a taiko group and take a workshop. A few months after arriving in Seattle, I did just that - took an SKT workshop, became an apprentice, joined the group as an official member.

Music, dancing, performances - all things that I've been doing since growing up in West Virginia, and fortunately, I am able to continue that in Seattle with SKT.