Says Theine, “Our target audience for the Lacey classes is anyone 16 years or older who wants to give it a try. Interested community members can register here for an opportunity to personally experience the taiko drums. Lacey Parks and Recreation has teamed up with River Ridge band instructor John Theine to offer a Beginning Taiko Drumming Class. And now everyone in the community, not just River Ridge students, will have that opportunity. Just how, exactly, do those students learn to play with such unified precision and graceful athleticism? Can anyone-even someone without a musical background-learn to play? If you’ve ever experienced this auditory delight, you’ve probably found yourself wondering about all the invisible work involved. Photo courtesy: River Ridge Taiko Ensemble. This drum weighs in at an estimated 500 lbs when on its stand. “Big Bertha,” a gargantuan Hira Daiko, measures 63″ in diameter and is about 18″ deep. Certainly, their packed concert calendar includes many venues and events, giving residents of Thurston County ample opportunity to enjoy this traditional Japanese drumming ensemble.

Or maybe you’ve admired their gorgeous instruments in between races at the Dragon Boat Festival, hosted by Saint Martin’s University.

Perhaps you’ve been lucky enough to hear them play while strolling through the Lacey Spring Fun Fair. Their music is literally heart-pounding: its raw power shakes the sternum, while its sheer beauty stirs the soul. This allows mate to diffuse its energy throughout the day.Currently enjoying their eighth season, the River Ridge High School Taiko Ensemble has earned quite a reputation. This difference comes from the fact that mate contains the same stimulating molecule as cocoa: theobromine. Unlike coffee, mate does not cause over-arousal or fatigue when its effect wears off. The difference between the energy of mate and that of coffee:Įven if these two drinks have in common their energizing effect, they are different in a few points: However, the Caffeine Informer website states that an average 236 ml calabash of mate contains 40 mg of caffeine.įor comparison, here are the caffeine levels of other drinks (in ascending order):Īlthough these figures are approximate, we can still say that mate contains more caffeine than green tea but less than coffee. The caffeine content also depends on the amount of Yerba and the brewing time.Īs you may have noticed, it's hard to generalize about the caffeine content of a calabash of mate. Therefore, the caffeine drops with each brew. Traditional mate: The mate is infused with hot waterįor a traditional mate, the same yerba can be infused multiple times (up to 10 times). However, its caffeine content depends on the amount of mate brewed and the type of brew. In all its forms, mate is an energy drink. Although the names are different, mateine, caffeine and theine are the same molecules. Like tea and coffee, the energy provided by this drink comes mainly from its matein content. Yerba Mate is one of the 3 most consumed energy drinks in the world along with coffee and tea.

Theine effects