Sigma puts on somber theatrical performance<\/p>\n
Armando Siahaan, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
A combination of absurdist choreography, gloomy music and a
\ndark, simplistic setting produced a somber evening at Gedung
\nKesenian, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
It was an unusual way to celebrate the upcoming anniversary of
\nthe city.<\/p>\n
Sigma Dance Theater, through a show titled Si Tua di Kamar
\nBelakang (The Old Man in the Room at the Back) sought to depict a
\nsad reality about an old man who had dedicated his life to
\nraising his children to be a success, but was paid back with
\nungratefulness as he ended up living at the back of the house
\nwith no facilities.<\/p>\n
Benny Krisnawardi, the choreographer, did a good job in
\ncreating dance movements that conveyed the story. The pace of the
\nplot was rather slow, with the first half showing the old man
\ndancing, probably to express frustration at his isolation.<\/p>\n
The dancers did well. Flexible and elastic movements were one
\nthing, but what made their dancing praiseworthy was their genuine
\nappreciation of the choreography.<\/p>\n
The second half showed a group of dancers, dressed in
\ntraditional clothing. This time, the dances needed perfect
\ncoordination, especially as they used props such as plastic
\nchairs and a flexible stick. Although it was imperfect, there was
\nnever an eye-catching blunder.<\/p>\n
Credit should also be given to the musical arrangement, which
\ncontinuously created a spooky atmosphere. Without it, the
\nperformance could have been very tedious as, even with the music,
\nmany in the audience appeared somewhat bored.<\/p>\n
Sigma Dance Theater is a contemporary group that likes to
\nexperiment with its dances with the intention of offering
\nsomething that is rich in expression. It may be rich in meaning,
\nbut experimentation tends not to attract much popular interest.<\/p>\n
Perhaps that is the reason why only about 20 people attended
\nthe one-hour show, with many leaving the building unimpressed.<\/p>\n
If one expected that Jakarta Anniversary Festival would
\nconsist of nights of jubilant festivity, this performance will
\nsurely be a disappointment. It was the exact opposite -- pure
\nsolemnity.<\/p>\n
It might be true that this show pointedly depicted an
\nunfortunate aspect of the city's culture, in which the elderly
\ntend to lose their influence within society to the point of being
\nignored, perceived as being impotent to contribute to the
\ndynamism of the metropolis.<\/p>\n
But, what is questionable is whether it was appropriate to put
\non this performance amid preparations for Jakarta's anniversary.
\nMany would prefer a joyous dinner with a tasty cake rather than
\nhaving people judging all your flaws and mistakes at a birthday
\ncelebration.<\/p>\n
This year's theme for the festival is "Jakarta, the City of
\n1001 Cultures". It was perhaps unfortunate that they decided to
\nperform something that represented only the dark side of a city
\nthat is about to experience another annual celebration.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sigma-puts-on-somber-theatrical-performance-1447893297",
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