Raise your voice and feel the rhythm of community at this Friday Singing series with Aki Takahashi. Rooted in the tradition of JI GOE, a percussive vocal style used in Japanese folk music, this workshop invites you to use your voice as a pulse of connection, energy, and encouragement.

You will learn how JI GOE supported workers rowing boats, pulling nets, or labouring side-by-side, helping them move in unison through shared rhythms. In this hands-on experience, you will sing from the stomach, finding a deep, earthy voice that carries strength and spirit. Together, we will accompany traditional Japanese work songs, learning how to keep time and lift each other up through sound.

Aki Takahashi brings a lifetime of expertise as a taiko drummer, shamisen player, and folk singer, and shares her passion for bringing traditional music into today's communities with energy and heart.

No singing experience is needed. Just come ready to make some noise and connect through song!

For those who want to take their experience further and sing at our community celebration, we invite you to join Saturday Mingling on May 24, a lively evening of artistic sharing where community members and artists come together to celebrate the creative journey.

Spots are limited, so be sure to register today!

This Friday Singing - JI GOE and Japanese Folk Songs workshop is part of Jamii's May cycle, guided by lead artist Heidi Chan, and centred around the theme of Small & Mighty. Through these workshops in dancing, painting, crafting, sewing, singing, and creative writing, we will reflect on how these ancient teachings resonate with our modern lives, connecting us to nature, the cycles of life, and our community. “This is an invitation to reinterpret the meaning of Small & Mighty, finding the joy and value in doing one thing, but doing it well by slowing down and zooming in.” - Heidi Chan.