Al Azhar to join international folk dance gala

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)