Dancer showcases peace and tranquility<\/p>\n
Kartika Bagus C., The Jakarta Post, Solo, Central Java<\/p>\n
An enthusiastic ovation marked the end of Indian dancer Astad
\nDeboo's last performance of the evening, Every Fragment of Dust
\nis Wakened, in the theater of the Indonesian Arts Institute in
\nthe Central Java town of Surakarta.<\/p>\n
Performed to an arrangement by Japanese musician Yoichiro
\nYoshikawa, the dance was one of three -- besides Aahavan and
\nStepping Out -- recently presented by Deboo in Surakarta.<\/p>\n
Every Fragment was energetic, with dancer and choreographer
\nAstad Deboo twirling endlessly in different forms during the 20-
\nminute show.<\/p>\n
This work represents the spirit of peace and tranquility
\ninherent in man, which must be sought and applied to life, lest
\nour lives drift along aimlessly.<\/p>\n
Among world-class dancers, Astad Deboo is known for his
\ninnovative pieces drawn from the classical Indian Kathak and
\nKhatali dances, combined with his knowledge of dance styles the
\nworld over.<\/p>\n
Anhavan, for instance, performed to music by Amelia Chuni,
\napplies the techniques of Emotion Bhakti, known as the source of
\nthe artistic concord and devotion generally represented in Indian
\ndances.<\/p>\n
While most dancers dedicate their performances to the Hindu
\ndeities Shiva and Ganesha as a form of worship, Astad Deboo
\ndevotes his dances to space and the body, which are integrated in
\nhis choreography and accompanying music.<\/p>\n
In Stepping Out, Bert Ankham arranged the music based on Astad
\nDeboo's interpretations of anxiety and alertness, which were
\ntranslated into movement using steel stairs as props in an
\nexpression of freedom and spontaneity.<\/p>\n
According to Deboo, the show was a smooth blend of traditional
\nand modern elements without any segregation between the two
\nstyles.<\/p>\n
\"All emotions can thus be expressed without limits, while the
\naudience's feedback adds to the dancer's zeal,\" said Deboo, who
\nholds the Sangeet Natak Academy Award, India's most prestigious
\ntrophy awarded to performing artists.<\/p>\n
Deboo made it clear that Indian traditional dances were not
\nlike those featured in Bollywood films. The dances he performed
\nat the theater of Surakarta's art institute, he said, were known
\nas art dances in India.<\/p>\n
As a child, Astad Deboo was trained in Kathak classical dance.
\nHe was inspired to break away from the tight and binding
\nclassical tradition when he met contemporary dance instructor
\nMurray Louis, who asked him to develop a unique style of his own.<\/p>\n
The quest led Deboo to a long exploration of the traditional
\ndances of South America, Japan, Europe and China, as well as
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, his dynamic performances attracted dance
\ncritics across the world, from Pina Bausch of the Wuppertal Dance
\nCompany in Germany, to Alison Chase of the Pilobulus Company in
\nAmerica.<\/p>\n
Recently, Astad Deboo collaborated with traditional drummers
\nand war-themed art singers from northern India, heralding a new
\ndevelopment in his art, and has graced the world with his dances
\nin no less than 46 countries.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dancer-showcases-peace-and-tranquility-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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