Aging well is a multi-dimensional phenomenon that includes physical, social, and emotional functioning. As the population lives longer and healthier lives, the experience of aging is being redefined. Creative arts interventions, particularly those that are kinesthetic-sensory based activities like music and movement have shown many benefits to health and emotional well-being across the lifespan. Taiko (Japanese drumming) encompasses both music and movement, and offers an intriguing way to enhance the experience of aging. This study uses grounded theory principles to explore the experiences of older adults participating in a taiko program, “Older and Bolder,” at the Boston Centers for Youth and Families (BCFY) Grove Hall Senior Center. Taiko has been used in the contemporary Asian American community for expressions of empowerment, identity, and activism. Administered by Karen Young, 2018 [Boston] Artist in Residence, “Older and Bolder” explores ways to activate and unleash the voices of older adults through facilitated dialogue and taiko with the goal of building relationships and making a policy impact in the city. Using this particular creative art form with older adults provides a transformation of taiko into different spaces and meaning. The participants are healthy older adults in their 60s, 70s, and 80s who attend a local senior center and participate in ongoing weekly sessions. Observations, in-depth interviews with participants, and video analysis of performances provide rich data about the experiences of these older adults as they describe how it felt to hold a bachi (drumstick), strike a taiko, perform, and express their voice through drumming.
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