TEN DRUM

The Ten Drum percussion group from Taiwan has been described as “breathtaking, dazzling and mesmerising”. Named after founder Hsieh Shih, whose name means ten, the group honours ancient traditional Taiwanese drumming, but is also a huge part of the country’s modern urban culture.

The fascinating drumming show is integrated with dance moves, martial arts poses, atmospheric lighting and percussive narrative – a powerful performance which has taken Ten Drum to over 50 cities in 15 countries.

Ten Drum - The Beat of Taiwan has been nominated for a Grammy award and wowed global audiences at the Olympics and Soccer World Cup and now they’re coming to Durban for two shows only on August 30 and 31.

Ten Drum – The Beat of Taiwan opens its four-city South African tour at the iZulu Theatre at Sibaya Casino for one performance only on August 30 at 20h00.

The next day, as part of their ethos of exchanging global cultures, they will host a drumming workshop at the eNanda Adventure Site at eNanda Dam, followed by a vibrant outdoor performance for the public at 13h00. With the support of the Durban Green Corridor and the eThekweni Municipality, the Ten Drum will participate in the eNanda Duelling Drums, an exchange of Taiwanese and South African rhythms.

The picturesque setting of Sibaya Casino, set amid rolling sugar cane, has an emotional connection to the Ten Drum home base in the South Taiwanese city of Tainan where founder Hsieh Shih established a Fascinating Culture Park on the site of a disused sugar refinery.

This drumming village is a not-to- be missed tourist attraction in Tainan with deep cultural, ecological and historical significance and has been home to Ten Drum since 2007.

“We hope that Ten Drum audiences will better understand Taiwan’s original and authentic folk culture,” said Hseih Shih.

Judy Wu, director of international music production at the Taipei-based Wind Music International Corporation, said: “The group’s performances are powerful, full of intensity and release, evoking vivid images in one’s mind.”

The South African tour has been made possible by the support of The Taiwanese Migrants Community Uplifting Programme, a non-profit company established in SA in 2006, the Taipei Liaison Office in South Africa and the Cultural Ministry of Taiwan.

Ten Drum – The Beat of Taiwan performs at the iZulu Theatre at Sibaya Casino on August 30 at 20h00 with tickets at R180 and R200. They appear the next day (August 31) at 13h00 at the eNanda Adventure Site at eNanda Dam. Tickets R100. Booking for both shows is at Computicket.