Fashion choreographer Panca a one man show

Fashion choreographer Panca a one man show

Muara Bagdja, Contributor, Jakarta

Glamorous garb and a bevy of supermodels are no absolute
guarantee of successful fashion shows. The power behind the
catwalk is the choreographer, who can make the difference between
a pretty show which leaves no lasting impression and a standout
one with abiding soul.

"A choreographer determines the shape of the entire show. He
or she directs the show," Panca Makmun said of his profession of
the past 10 years.

The 35 year old is considered the country's leading fashion
show choreographer, and has presented collections for big-name
designers, ranging from "king of style" Sebastian Gunawan, Didi
Budiardjo, Biyan to the up-and-coming trendy duo of Urban Crew.

He was recently honored with the "a+ Lucky Strike Award 2003"
for high achievement in his field.

Fashion choreographers arrange such aspects as the models'
entrance and exit, their walking styles (serious or playful, for
instance), musical score, stage setting, lighting -- and shape
the overall atmosphere of the show.

"Some fashion designers even leave the job of choosing the
proper clothing and matching them with the models to the
choreographers," said Panca.

But he noted that there remained a handful of professional
fashion choreographers in the country. Young people interested in
the fashion business prefer the higher profile of becoming
couturiers, or working as fashion writers or editors in the
growing market of women's magazines.

For Panca, the lack of competition has been a boon, allowing
his career to flourish and taking him to diverse places at home
and abroad.

It all started in 1984 when he was invited to join the dance
troupe of Swara Mahardhika led by Guruh Soekarnoputra, the
multitalented son of Indonesia's first president. The group was
famous for its successful blend of contemporary and traditional
dances.

He was also a model for teen magazines like Gadis and Mode, as
well as on the catwalk.

"As a lean young man, I was more frequently asked to model
teenage clothes," he recalled.

Guruh and choreographer Denny Malik then offered Panca the
chance to design dance steps and movements, and some of his works
were used in several fashion shows in the 1980s.

Finally, hairstylist Hanky Tandayu suggested that Panca
consider becoming a fashion show choreographer. Fashion insiders
pronounced his first effort to be fairly good, which boosted his
confidence and led to him devoting himself full-time to the
profession in the early 1990s.

He found he enjoyed being a fashion show director more than a
dance choreographer.

"Fashion is more global, covering a wider scope. And I'm more
spiritually inclined toward fashion as I like couture designs and
used to be a model myself," he said.

Panca's success is not only about being the big fish in a very
small pond, because he emerged at the right time in presenting
something different. Until the mid-1990s, fashion events were
arranged like extended dance or variety shows, and the real
selling point and art of the designs were lost.

Panca introduced a choreographic style emphasizing simplicity,
in line with the increasing number of fashion designers
preferring more individual and modest displays. In keeping with
increasingly fast-paced lifestyles, fashion shows also needed to
be made concise and not longer than 45 minutes.

"I make simple choreographic compositions to give prominence
to the designs being displayed, with emphasis on individual
clothes. People come to watch and find out novel products. They
are real shows," he said.

There are still problems in putting together a show. It's
often difficult to round up about 30 professional models for a
major show, and there are also technical constraints, he added.

"For instance, where can we obtain a giant screen as the stage
background to match the format of Giorgio Armani?"

He cites two standout moments in his career. In a show
presenting famous batik and textile designer Obin's collection in
1996, he had models come down the catwalk dancing to dangdut (the
musical hybrid of Arab, Indian and Malay tunes) in keeping with
the ethnic theme.

In the show named Opulence for Sebastian Gunawan in 2001, he
designed a gorgeous acrylic stage -- the first of its kind from
the material in the country -- with suitably stunning crystal
lamps providing a star-studded sky as background.

"It's the only really glamorous show here that combined the
theme, luxurious dress, the stage and music into one concept," he
said.

While it's great to be in demand as a one man show, the lack
of fashion choreographers also saddens Panca.

But the potential is there.

"So far it has been a self-taught profession, but one should
first learn the basics of dancing to be familiar with some
movements before being engaged in choreography," he said.

In addition, a good knowledge of fashion and connection to
fashion circles, such as serving as an assistant, is important to
gain enough experience until the show offers start coming in.