Shall we dance? Where to get put through your paces<\/p>\n
Susanna Tjokro, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Ballroom dancing is divided into two categories. Standard
\nBallroom a.k.a. Modern Ballroom (waltz, tango, slow foxtrot,
\nquickstep and Viennese waltz) and Latin American (cha-cha, rumba,
\nsamba, jive and paso doble). The waltz and the cha-cha are
\nprobably the most popular. You can learn these styles at four
\ndance schools listed below. And, you can also join the dance
\ncrowd at cafes and restaurants such as T-Box, Bug's Cafe, Arios,
\nMario Cafe, Stardust, Bebek Bali or Black Steer.<\/p>\n
Here are some of the schools or studios that have been
\nrecommended by dance lovers and professional instructors
\nthemselves. Have fun, the choice is all yours!<\/p>\n
Linny & Roeby;
\nJl. Pancoran Indah VI No. 13;
\nTel. 7996943<\/p>\n
D'Rose Studio;
\nJl. Tebet Utara Dalam No. 34;
\nTel. 8309784, 8312141<\/p>\n
Like mother, like daughter, little Linny carefully watched her
\nmother with great interest when she was teaching dance at Yen Pin
\nRestaurant -- formerly a popular restaurant back in the 50s. Now,
\nLinny Bachtiar also teaches dance.<\/p>\n
As a primary school student, she learned traditional
\nIndonesian dance and ballet. Her mother taught her ballroom
\ndancing when she was 17. Then she continued her dance lessons at
\nMelati Dancing School (her teacher was the famous Mrs. Chen
\nSunaryati). Linny perfected her skills with two well-known
\nAustralian ballroom dancers, Mrs. Aiko and Brendan Humpreys, when
\nthey visited Jakarta.<\/p>\n
In 1990, Linny taught ballet at Namarina. She later taught
\nballroom dancing at Cafe Melati in Sari Pacific Hotel in 1998.
\nToday, she teaches ballroom dancing at Posture and also at D'Rose
\nStudio. This active 50-something woman coaches students at her
\ncozy home too.<\/p>\n
Roeby Soebimo, somewhere in his 40s and an administrator at PT
\nLadang Arta Buana, is Linny's steady dance partner. They teach
\nballroom dancing together.<\/p>\n
At 14, he started dancing ballroom with Yud Sutiyoto as his
\nteacher. The late Sutiyoto was a well-known ballroom dance
\nteacher in Yogyakarta, Roeby's hometown.<\/p>\n
Roeby has won several national competitions. He came second at
\nthe National Ballroom Dancing Competition (in novice Latin
\nAmerican section) during the 80s.<\/p>\n
Among Roeby and Linny's best students are a brother and sister
\nduo, Enrico, 16, and Erinia, 18. They came sixth (in Novice Latin
\nAmerican) at the Indonesian Dancesport Championship in 2001.<\/p>\n
The next Indonesian Dancesport Championship will take place in
\nJune at the plenary hall in the Jakarta Convention Center. For
\ninformation, you can contact Linny at 7996943 or 0812 9295583.<\/p>\n
Erwan & Yulia Sport Dance Studio;
\nJl. Muara Karang Block C-III Timur No. 12B;
\nTel. 9210423<\/p>\n
Erwan started ballroom dancing in 1980 (when he was 18) and
\nYulia in 1981. Together, they have won competitions in Singapore,
\nMalaysia and Indonesia. The husband and wife duo studied ballroom
\ndancing in Indonesia and then in Australia for six months. Since
\n1992, Erwan and Yulia visit London almost every year to perfect
\ntheir dance skills.<\/p>\n
Some of their best students have been their own daughters.
\nThis couple has three daughters, Evelyn, Melissa and Yovita. The
\nyoungest one, Yovita, 8, is a ballerina. The elder ones are well-
\nknown dance champions.<\/p>\n
In addition to winning many competitions in Indonesia, both
\ngirls have won numerous tournaments in other Asian countries too.
\nPaired with Donny, 19, 17-year-old Evelyn finished second in the
\nPre Amateur Modern Ballroom section at the 2001 First Seremban
\nGarden City Dancesport Championship. Melissa, 13, and her
\npartner, Nico, 16, won several prizes at the 2001 Singapore
\nMillennium competition. At the same event, they also topped the
\nPre Amateur Modern Ballroom, the Novice Modern Ballroom section
\nand came third in the Pre Amateur Latin American section.<\/p>\n
In 1996, Erwan and Yulia opened their 198-square-meter studio.
\nThey are assisted by four former-students-cum-instructors.<\/p>\n
A Cu Dancing School;
\nJl. Hayam Wuruk 100 M;
\nTel. 6597758, 6590443<\/p>\n
A Cu a.k.a. Yuslizar, 60, started ballroom dancing at 17, in
\nthe 1960s. His father was a ballroom dance teacher and A Cu's son
\nis a teacher as well.<\/p>\n
After learning the artistic pursuit from his father and some
\nfriends he went to Thailand in 1978 to learn dance at the
\nAssociation of Dance Teachers in Bangkok. After studying for a
\nyear, he earned a certificate.<\/p>\n
In 1980, he was also awarded another certificate from the
\nImperial Society of Dance Teachers, London, after having studied
\nthere for a year. He has never entered a competition. \"I've never
\nhad any steady dance partners,\" explained A Cu.<\/p>\n
A Cu Dancing School was opened in 1975, in Mangga Besar area,
\nWest Jakarta. In 1980, the school moved to Hayam Wuruk. Its
\nstudio, at 75-square meters, is relatively small, looks slightly
\ndifferent from the others. Most studios look dull with plain
\ncolors, a wooden floor and wall-to-wall mirrors. However, one can
\nsafely say that A Cu's looks \"flamboyant\". Pink and purple
\ndominate the room, which gives it a sort of romantic feeling.<\/p>\n
Erlin, fondly called A Liong, is A Cu's son and one of his
\nbest students. Erlin, learned ballroom dancing at 18 from his
\ndad. Now, at 27, having won some competitions, Erlin is a
\nballroom instructor as well. Erlin and his partner, Lisa, were
\nthe winners of the Novice Latin American category in the Fourth
\nAnniversary Indonesian Dance Sport Championship, 2000.<\/p>\n
A Cu has seven former-students-cum-instructors who help him
\nrun his studio.<\/p>\n
Abbay;
\nJl. Karang Anyar Utara No. 3;
\nTel. 6294201<\/p>\n
Abbay started dancing ballroom at 25. Now in his forties, he
\nis a veteran dancer. People remember him as a regular winner in
\nmany competitions in Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore,
\nTaiwan and China. Abbay also won the Southeast Asia Competition
\nin Singapore, 1998. It was his last competition. In 1999, he
\nopened his studio.<\/p>\n
This busy ballroom dance instructor has no assistants at all.
\nSome of his best students have won awards at the 2001 Indonesia
\nDancesport Championship. Lin Kun Tsung and Linda won the Senior
\nBallroom Standard section, while Adrianus and Sandra were the
\nchampions in the Novice Modern Ballroom section.<\/p>\n
The latter couple won first place in the Novice Modern
\nBallroom category and came second in the Pre Amateur Modern
\nBallroom section in this year's Metropolitan Ballroom Dance
\nChampionship.<\/p>\n
Other champions like Paulus and Lidya, Sanjaya and Wiwin are
\nalso Abbay's students. From Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
\nAbbay teaches at his 117-square-meter studio. Happy dancing!<\/p>\n
Popular ballroom dance styles<\/p>\n
* Cha-cha originates from Cuba. The name is believed to come from
\nthe sound of the shoes of dancing Cuban women. It's an energetic
\ndance with the emphasis on the legs and feet. Cha-cha dancers do
\nnot move around the room.<\/p>\n
* The Waltz was born in Austria. This sentimental, romantic dance
\nis always associated with glamourous ball gowns and beautiful
\nmusic. It is illustrated by the rise-and-fall of the music and
\ndancers' movement and close contact between the couple. It does
\nrequire a big area, as the dancers move around the room.<\/p>\n
* Tango comes from Argentina. It's often called a \"flirty\" dance,
\ndue to its sensual body contact. The main characteristic of tango
\nis the bent knee.<\/p>\n
* Jive was born in New York. There are two kinds of the lively
\ndance, the International style with numerous kicks and taps and
\nthe Authentic style (swing dancing) in which the torso and hips
\nare used more.<\/p>\n
-- Susanna Tjokro<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/shall-we-dance-where-to-get-put-through-your-paces-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }