Friday, September 27 | 6-6:30PM 
FREE with Registration

This is a General Admission Event. 
 
*Patrons who have tickets for the 7:30PM presentation of TAIKOPROJECT must also register for the Pre-Show Talk if they wish to attend. 
 

Please join us for a FREE pre-show talk ahead of our mainstage presentation of TAIKOPROJECT. 

The Taiko Community Alliance will present their Board Vice Chair Dr.Wanda Kurtcu for a pre-show talk with members of TAIKOPROJECT for an integrated demonstration. 

About Dr. Wanda Kurtcu 

Supervising Teacher, San Jose State University  

A performing member of Wadaiko Newark for 17 years, Wanda was also in attendance at the 2013 Launch Meeting for TCA and has since become a Lifetime Member of the organization, as well as currently serving on TCA’s HEART (Humility, Empathy, Anti-Racism, Resourcefulness, Transparency) Committee, focusing on the practices of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility. Within the taiko community, Wanda is a part of the HUG (Healing, Unlearning, and Growing) collective, as well as NtbD (Name to be Decided) in taiko, addressing issues and challenges faced/experienced by women, non-binary, and LGBTQI+ players within the male-dominated world of taiko.  

Wanda has a doctorate in Social Justice and Equity and, with recognition of diversity as an important part of any organization, hopes to bring that experience and voice to TCA in support of its current “growing pains” and efforts to reshape itself into a more inclusive and supportive entity within the taiko community.  

Additionally, Wanda is a LEGO enthusiast! She loves Star Trek, Star Wars, Marvel Comic and DC universes, and plays Dungeons and Dragons. Truth be told, she’s a Sci-fi/Fantasy nerd and lives in those worlds as often as she can. 🖖