The intensity and overall enthusiasm of Wadaiko Yamato, the Drummers of Japan, are enough to get an entire crowd on its feet — literally.

Twice during their Saturday performance, the Drummers of Japan received a standing ovation, and it was deserved. Their taiko drumming performance was incredible.

The show began with a piece called Yakara, meaning “the fearless headlong rush into life of the young or newly born,” that exhibited such ferocity that one couldn’t help but get wrapped up in its polyrhythmic beat. But this was only a taste of what was to come.

Yakara was followed by Rekka, a comedic piece between two drummers constantly trying to one-up each other. The piece began with a lone drummer playing simple rhythms on his single drum while encouraging the audience to get involved by clapping until another drummer appeared and tried to outdo the first drummer. The result was a highly amusing duet between two outstanding drummers on drums of various sizes.

Other pieces include Hayate, Rakuda, Kizashi, Aozora and Tamashy. Tamashy was created especially for the group’s 2003 tour and emphasized the artistic beauty of drumming. In this piece the musicians were not merely drummers, but rather artists, using movement to create a strong sense of emotion in the viewer. Throughout their performance, the drummers used choreographed drumming techniques and movement, both funny and thought-provoking, to make it visually appealing as well as fun to listen to.

The intensity of every single drummer on stage seemed to be the major factor in Wadaiko Yamato’s success. Their energy was incomparable. Smiles were visible all the way from the balcony, and the incredible level of energy and enthusiasm was reflected in the music.

Traditionally, taiko, which translates to “fat drum,” were used as a means of communication with the gods, and by the time Wadaiko Yamato was finished, you couldn’t help but feel a little closer to the gods yourself.

Brianne Pfannenstiel is a sophomore at Lawrence High School and a member of Critics Corner, which provides students opportunities to learn about art forms and review performances at the Lied Center. Contact Jeanne Averill at caverill@usd497.org