An evening spent with three prominent choreographers

By Franki Raden

JAKARTA (JP): Farida Oetoyo, Gusmiati Suid and Boi Sakti, three choreographers representing three different generations, have each made an important contribution to the world of contemporary dance in Indonesia.

Staging their works in one evening was, therefore, an interesting and attractive thought. Their performance at the Schouwburg Festival on Sept.7. was just one of many events at the week-long event at the Gedung Kesenian Jakarta.

The evening started with a Farida Oetoyo dance called Topeng (Mask). The spotlight moved slowly back to the center of the stage where three dancers posed in masks. Their slow, simultaneous movements formed a block movement, revealing an alluring and mysterious composition. While the costumes and music enhanced the performance, the composition came across more as a sketch than a complete work because of its brief duration.

The second work, by Gusmiati Suid, was called Seruan (Cry). In the catalog's foreword, Gusmiati wrote: "When a man can no longer communicate with his inner self and when all has become permissible for the sake of material gain and power, the best remedy is to ask him to recall the holy name of God."

Gusmiati's work is a medium to express social concern, which she communicates and composes in a modern, western style. However, Gusmiati starts from the traditional dance of the Minangkabau, an ethnic group in West Sumatra, where she was born. Dance from this region in Sumatra emphasizes movement as much as singing. Religion, particularly Islam, is also an important element.

Her voice of concern was heard in Seruan but probably understood by few since the lyrics were in a provincial dialect. Also, it is a pity that the ritual Minangkabau music called tabuik was only used at the end of the dance.

Regardless, Gusmiati's blend of beauty, music, costume, lighting and movement made for quite an achievement. Dynamic percussion enlivened the dance movements, building up to a dramatic climax.

Farida Oetoyo followed Seruan with another piece called Areinam. The work revealed her fascination with traditional Indonesian dance as well as her ability to communicate a certain aesthetic through movement and music.

Unlike her first piece of the evening, Areinam explored Balinese dance and classical ballet. Comical and sensual qualities were revealed with facial expressions and movements typical of male dancers, though the cast was primarily female. The music was composed by her son, Wong Akhsan; together they are a strong force in the local art world.

Salawat, the last dance performed, was choreographed by Gusmiati's son, Boi Sakti. Like his mother's composition, Salawat was rooted in Minangkabau dance and rich in religious overtones in its praise of the Prophet Muhammad. While the mother's strength lies in her ability to transform a concept into a work of art, Boy Sakti focused more strongly on composition.

The music of Peter Slayan created a dynamic atmosphere and lent structure to the overall framework of the dance. The piece, I think, would have been more attractive without the social themes, as choreography, movement and imagination are his strengths. But, in all its simplicity, Salawat was one of Boi's best works and I hope to see more of the same.