Balinese arts celebrated at group's anniversary<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The opening of the Balinese Saraswati dance
\nfestival on Tuesday provided the packed house at Gedung Kesenian
\nJakarta with a dynamic array of traditional performances that
\nhave been given new life with stylistic, musical and
\nchoreographic fusions over time.<\/p>\n
The weeklong festival is being held to commemorate 33 years of
\nactivity for the group, LKB Saraswati, which was established on
\nApril 3, 1968, by a group of Balinese living in Jakarta. It was
\nestablished as a nonprofit organization which aimed to bring
\ntogether dancers, choreographers and others interested in
\nBalinese music and dance, and has committed itself to producing
\ncreative and innovative performances.<\/p>\n
The festival also pays honor to the 100th birthday anniversary
\nof Indonesia's first president, Sukarno, on June 6.<\/p>\n
Tuesday's performance included a number of traditional
\nBalinese welcoming dances, such as Lambang Sari and Pendet; a
\nshort dance about the life of a fishing community, Nelayan; a
\nvibrant dance to celebrate the harvesting season, Janger
\nReformasi; a performance of the famous Kecak dance by a group of
\nwomen; and two dynamic musical numbers by the gamelan orchestra,
\nTabuh Genta Suara Revolusi Indonesia (GESURI) and Tabuh Gambang
\nSuling.<\/p>\n
Rachmawati Soekarnoputri, one of Sukarno's daughters, provided
\nan introductory and welcoming speech before the performance. She
\nspoke of the limitless love her father displayed for the
\nIndonesian homeland and read a poem of his fascination for
\nBalinese art, a poem which sang praise to the unique beauty,
\npower and grace of Balinese women.<\/p>\n
She also pointed out that the Balinese dance being performed
\nthat evening was not simply a set of traditional performances,
\nbut also a dynamic fusion stemming from influences over time,
\nwhether this came from interactions with outside performers and
\nartists or creative adaptations and experiments within the
\nBalinese artistic community itself.<\/p>\n
A praiseworthy example of such fusions was seen in the opening
\nperformance, Lambang Sari. Choreographed by Guruh Soekarnoputra,
\nSukarno's youngest son, this piece incorporated a musical
\nbackground of gamelan with synchronized techno beats and rhythms.
\nThe costumes, music and choreography blended surprisingly well,
\ngiving substance to his sister's praise of the variety and
\nexperimentation that have been taking place over the past few
\ndecades.<\/p>\n
This flashy opening number was followed by a more
\ntraditionally oriented set of performances which came to a climax
\nwith the female kecak dance, Bung Karno's favorite. Dramatic
\nlighting enhanced the mystical atmosphere of this dance which
\ndepicted a fight between a prince and a demon over the beautiful
\nDewi Sita, while the monkey king, Hanoman, watched on and
\nmediated events with interventions.<\/p>\n
The remarkably tight, lively and synchronized sounds of the
\ngamelan orchestra provided a suitable ending to the opening
\nnight's performances. (Dion Hallpike)<\/p>\n
Evening performances by LKB Saraswati will continue until
\nApril 15 at Gedung Kesenian Jakarta, Pasar Baru (tel. 380-8283 or
\n344-1892). Tickets prices range from Rp 20,000 to Rp 25,000.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/balinese-arts-celebrated-at-groups-anniversary-1447893297",
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