Didik no longer hurt by 'transvestite' accusations
Didik no longer hurt by 'transvestite' accusations
Tarko Sudiarno, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta
"Well, which one should I go to?" asked a man standing in front of the men's and ladies' rooms at a restaurant, drawing laughter among troupe members who were having a rest on their way from Yogyakarta to Jakarta.
The joke restored the artists' vigor on their long, exhausting journey. The humorous man, definitely an entertainer by profession, was Didik Hadiprayitno, better known as Didik Nini Thowok, a much-traveled Indonesian cross-gender dancer.
Nearing 50 by the end of this year, he is performing in collaboration with foreign cross-gender dancers in Yogyakarta during the third week of December.
He became interested in cross-gender roles in primary school in Temanggung, Central Java.
Now he is no longer shy about assuming a female role in most performances, nor hurt if people call him a transvestite dancer.
Such male parts, according to Didik, were an ancient tradition in several countries like Japan, India and Europe. In the Yogyakarta court under Sultan Hamengkubowono I, a male dancer performed the sacred Bedhaya Semang dance normally presented by females.
"In 1974, when I joined Yogyakarta's Indonesian Dance Academy, I was determined to specialize in cross-gender dances because I felt I was cut out for this art," said soft-spoken Didik. Playing female characters is compatible with his body's inherently feminine movements.
As a fifth-grader, he was less confident in presenting heroic roles like Gatotkaca or Lawung dances. "I was kind of inhibited in expressing valiant gestures, lacking what the Balinese call taksu or grip," he revealed.
In dancing, continued Didik, a performer should be able to combine three technical factors: wiraga (movement), wirama (rhythm) and wirasa (feeling). "It's this feeling that I fail to express in performing valiant roles. So even in college I got poor marks in men's vigorous dances, while in gentler roles in women's and men's dancing I scored high grades," acknowledged Didik Nini Thowok.
With this gift, Didik became more deeply involved in cross- gender choreography and became a dedicated dancer, through untiring efforts to gain broader knowledge from local and foreign maestros.
Abroad, he has learned from traditional dancers including Sangeeta in Madras, India, Richard Emmert and Sadamu Omura for folk ballet in Tokyo and Gojo Masanosuke also in Japan.
He has also received instructions from nearly all leading performers in Indonesia such as Yogyakarta court dancers Mme Yudonegoro and Sasminto Mardowo, women's dance specialist Rasimoen from Malang, Cirebon mask dancers Sawitri and Sudji, Ni Ketut Reneng from Bali and master of pop creations the late Bagong Kussudiardja from Yogyakarta.
Didik's perseverance and total devotion to cross-gender choreography have earned him invitations to all major cities in the world to stage his work. Last year he spent his entire time performing overseas.
Didik will appear in Germany just before his 50th birthday celebrations from Dec. 13 through Dec. 18.
"I see it as a way of funding the Yogya events," he remarked.
An artist of Didik Nini Thowok's caliber really deserves such a birthday party.
During his cross-gender dancing career, Didik frequently performed at the State Palace from the presidency of Soeharto through to the term of Megawati.
He has also created over 100 works characterized by humor and femininity. "Now I don't need to deny my existence as a 'transvestite' dancer," added Didik, who claims to have fully retained his masculinity.