Urban lifestyle inspires 'Forbidden Passion'<\/p>\n
Mehru Jaffer, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Ideas continue to be juggled and much sweat is being shed as
\nForbidden Passion prepares to kick off the city's dance season
\nthis year.<\/p>\n
Put together by members of the very avant garde Eksotika
\nKarmawibhangga Indonesia (EKI), the 60-minute-long performance is
\ndivided into four compositions, with each piece attempting to
\ncommunicate to the audience issues that the dancers consider
\nabsolutely essential.<\/p>\n
For choreographer and dancer Rusdy Rukmarata, 40, it is of the
\nutmost importance to know what young people are thinking today.<\/p>\n
Society may find it difficult to accept their desires but we
\nstill have to be aware about what it is that youngsters hold most
\nsacred in life, feels Rusdy, himself a father and founder of EKI.<\/p>\n
Rusdy insists it is not true that to be modern is to be
\nwestern. He is quick to remind us that Indonesia was greatest
\nwhen it had been unafraid in the past and passionate about
\nembracing cultures and peoples from other parts of the world.<\/p>\n
In those ancient times, Indonesia was already forward-looking
\nand modern. Today, he sees his country bogged down by too many
\ndivisions in society and rites and rituals. Instead of helping
\nthem, many of the outdated traditions and customs confuse and
\nfrustrate youngsters and often force them into antisocial
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
So he calls as many youngsters as he can to come to him. They
\nare encouraged not just to dance with him but he takes time out
\nto talk to them and together they learn how to best express their
\nrespective feelings through dance.<\/p>\n
If they really want to they are even able to stay at the EKI
\ncompound, which has a boarding school for all those who love
\ntheater and dance. The idea is not to perform and to forget, but
\nto live and practice the arts in one's day-to-day life. The
\nultimate goal is to be a good artist as well as a good human
\nbeing, and to be loving and giving all the time.<\/p>\n
It bothers Rusdy that so many teenagers in Jakarta feel so
\nalienated from their surroundings today.<\/p>\n
He regrets the gang wars between different schools and
\nneighborhoods. He tries talking to as many young people as
\npossible before choreographing their dreams, anger and
\naspirations into dance.<\/p>\n
The opening sequence of Breath is a fast-paced flurry of
\nmovements performed to the tune of a hypnotic piece of music
\ncomposed by Sujiwo Tejo, the resident music director of EKI.<\/p>\n
Sujiwo's voice is a swaying chant similar to priestly
\ninvocations to the gods from past civilizations. Sometimes it is
\nlike the sound of thunder, at other times like the rustling of
\nwind among bamboo groves. Rusdy has tried to weave the dreams of
\nyoung people into modern movements to match the ancient sounds as
\nold as life itself.<\/p>\n
Rusdy, an alumni of the London Contemporary Dance School,
\nappears on stage in Children of Revolution with many a martial
\nmovement that hints of rebellion at every nook and cranny. But
\neven a little scratch at all the sound and fury behind the torn
\njeans and metal jewelry reveals just a simple desire of young
\npeople to be allowed to be themselves.<\/p>\n
The Tie is a somewhat humorous look at all the raw passion
\nthat is hidden behind the sophisticated black-and-white lifestyle
\nof the white-collar workforce. What happens when the very
\nimportant board of directors and chief of executives decide to
\nlet the tie fly away with the sparrow? Popular electronic music
\nalong with traditional percussion sounds combine to raise many an
\neyebrow.<\/p>\n
Domestic Issue is a 20-minute-long piece of choreography by
\nChichi Kadijono who has been teaching modern dance at EKI since
\n1997. Along with her younger sister, Chichi initially learnt both
\nBalinese dancing and ballet. But, as an adult, it is modern dance
\nthat still attracts her. The pixie-faced Chichi trained at the
\nDance University of London and for two years worked with Yul
\nBryner on stage for The King and I.<\/p>\n
Back in Jakarta and under pressure from the family, Chichi
\nfelt six years were not long enough to be in London. She has been
\nin Jakarta since 1981, often regretting having left Europe.<\/p>\n
Now 47 years old, Chichi almost gave up dancing, but now
\nenjoys her role as teacher and choreographer. But she is sorry
\nthat so few people want to learn modern dance. This is a pity as
\nmodern dance is highly expressive and allows liberation from
\nrepetitive and tutored movements.<\/p>\n
As she gets older she finds herself a little more interested
\nin traditional dance, particularly percussion-based dances from
\nWest Sumatra. The politics of the day leave her uninspired and
\nshe feels that her work will probably remain the same despite the
\ntremendous economic and political changes that have taken place
\naround her in recent times.<\/p>\n
Domestic Issue, the fourth piece to be performed as part of
\nForbidden Passion is choreographed by Chichi. It is a piece that
\nis inspired by the day-to-day routine of her personal life and is
\nalso a typical example of her increasingly mature role as a
\nchoreographer.<\/p>\n
Forbidden Passion will be performed on March 27 and March 28 at 8
\np.m., Taman Ismail Marzuki. Tel: 8313029\/3154087<\/p>",
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