Okinawan Taiko Drummers of Wisconsin (OTDW)

The Okinawan Taiko Drummers of Wisconsin (OTDW) is an Eisa group based out of West High School in Madison. Eisa is a form of folk-dance peculiar to the Ryukyu Islands which incorporates drumming, martial arts, and both folk and contemporary rock music. The performers either play a large, barrel shaped drum (odaiko) which is worn by a sash over the shoulder, or a hand drum. The paranku, one of the hand drums, is small, round, and single faced. The shime-daiko is a two-faced hand drum tied together with rope, and is performed the most stylistically.