SACRAMENTO — Sacramento Taiko Dan will present its 20th anniversary concert, “Kokorozashi,” blending the rhythm and spirit of traditional and contemporary Japanese drumming with Okinawan music and dance, at the Sacramento Community Center Theater, 13th and L streets in Sacramento, on Saturday, July 25, at 7 p.m.

The concert will feature special artists from Japan — Chabo, artistic director of Shidara and master shinobue flute artist; pre-eminent female taiko drummer Chisato Arikaki; and Nanako and Sayuri Tokuda, award-winning performers of traditional Okinawan music and dance.

This concert marks Sacramento Taiko Dan’s 20th year of performing and teaching Japanese drumming in the heart of California. Formed by Tiffany Tamaribuchi in 1989, the group puts on public performances annually throughout Sacramento and Northern California. The group has toured internationally and formed collaborations with local ballet, modern dance, poetry, and other ethnic percussion groups to broaden the scope of presentations and level of community recognition.

Tamaribuchi, as artistic director and lead instructor, brings her formidable performance experience with San Francisco Taiko Dojo, where she began her studies under Grand Master Sensei Seiichi Tanaka, and prominent Japanese taiko groups, including Kodo, Oedo Sukeroku Daiko, Za Ondekoza, and Zampa Ufujishi Daiko.

Tamaribuchi draws upon her traditional training, as well as successfully infusing her innovative compositions with her life experiences as a multicultural native of Sacramento. She composes, arranges, and choreographs the complete repertoire for Sacramento Taiko Dan’s three performing groups: the Children’s Ensemble, Junior Group, and Adult Performing Group. Additionally, she teaches weekly intermediate adult classes and beginner classes.

In August 2002, Tamaribuchi won first place in the Ota-cho All Japan Odaiko [the largest of the Japanese drums] and Group Competition — the first American woman to ever enter this prestigious competition. She followed this tremendous accomplishment with her October 2002 performance as a finalist in the First International Wadaiko Contest in Tokyo.

Sacramento Taiko Dan also has a school outreach program called Taiko in School, which extends taiko instruction through a recently developed pilot program at a local high school. Teaching predominantly disadvantaged students, program coordinator Megan Chao Smith encourages the wide diversity of students to express themselves through original compositions, which were recently showcased at Sacramento Taiko Dan’s Spring Concert.

The Taiko in Schools program also tours Sacramento area schools with an interactive assembly program for kindergarten through college-age students.

“Kokorozashi” will bring together the experience and dedication Tamaribuchi and members of the Sacramento Taiko Dan have honed over the last 20 years as they drum in joy, gratitude and unison.

All seats are $20 and tickets are on sale now at tickets.com, the Sacramento Community Center Theater box office, Oto’s Marketplace, The Yorozu, and Osaka-ya.

Visit wwww.sactaiko.org for more information.