Al Azhar to join international folk dance gala

JAKARTA (JP): If you watch them on the dance floor, you might think they are professional dancers because their movements are so gracious as they follow the beat of the music.

These students from Al Azhar I Islamic senior high school in Jakarta are dancing the Saman, a traditional dance from Aceh. The students will represent Indonesia at the International Folk Dance Festival from May 15 to May 20 in Akhisar, Turkey.

Around 20 countries will take part in the annual festival organized by the International Organization of Folk Art, an international non-governmental organization under the supervision of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization which develops folk arts from around the world.

"I'm so happy, this is the first time I will perform abroad and represent the country ... ," a second year student, Cita, said proudly. With 30 of her friends, she will perform the Saman dance at the festival.

The group of 31 students, including three musicians, will also perform four other dances, including the Yapong dance from Jakarta and the Giring-giring dance from Kalimantan.

The group has been practicing every day for the past two weeks and were scheduled to leave for Turkey on Wednesday.

"It is tiresome but fun," Cita, who began studying dance, including ballet, in kindergarten, said. "Dancing is my hobby."

Parents and teachers hope the students will help restore the image of Jakarta high school students, which has been smeared by endless student brawls.

At Al Azhar, parents are actively involved in their children's extracurricular activities. Eight parents and three teachers will accompany the students to Turkey.

One of the parents, Rahmi, said positive activities like the festival were a good way to counter the street brawls.

"For us parents, it's a great relief to know our children are doing positive things," Rahmi said.

The parents are happy to see their children taking part in the festival, although they have to pay for their children's tickets to Turkey. The festival organizer will pay for the students' expenses while they are in Turkey.

"We hope our children's participation in the event will make people there see that Indonesia still boasts young and energetic young talents," Rahmi said.

It will be the second time Al Azhar has participated in the folk dance festival. Two years ago it sent a delegation to the festival, which was held in Rome.

"In Rome, the organizers honored our group as the most outstanding performers," chairwoman of the Al Azhar Parents Association Inti Nusantari Subagyo said.

She said the students were participating in the festival at the invitation of the International Organization of Folk Art.

"Maybe because the school's dance group is already famous for its Saman dance," Inti said.

She said the group often was invited to perform for foreign guests and at cultural events. The dance group also takes part in cultural exchange programs, she added.

"The students need more than theories that they get at school... they also need to learn from their own experiences, such as from this festival," Inti said. (ste)