Free art shows for anniversary

Free art shows for anniversary

JAKARTA (JP): A national art and musical festival, featuring
local musical and dance performances from all 27 provinces, will
be held from Aug. 19 to 21 at the Jakarta Convention Center and
the Senayan stadium.

The festival is one of the myriad of programs being held
nationwide to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Indonesia's
independence.

Suparmo, a member of the organizing committee, said that on
Aug. 17, the festival's participants will perform at the state
palace before President Soeharto and a number of dignitaries,
including cabinet ministers and members of the diplomatic corps.

The performance will be one of the main attractions in the
golden anniversary ceremony held at the palace. The performance
will be broadcast live by the state-owned television station,
TVRI.

Performances will be presented to public free of charge. "We
hope people could enjoy the performances and appreciate our own
arts and cultures," Suparmo said.

He said that the festival has various objectives, including
introducing local music and dances to the public; increasing
people's appreciation of local arts; and giving greater chances
for local artists to compare their works with those of their
counterparts from other provinces.

Included among the 27 dances are Lampung's Layang Kasiwan,
North Sulawesi's Lingga Buwa, Bengkulu's Arak Tabot, West Java's
Doger Kontrak, Irian's Anak Perdamaian, Jakarta's Lenggo Jingke,
South Sulawesi's Ripa Buntingan, Aceh's Ratoh Talo, East Java's
Bersih Desa, South Sumatra's Bercande, Central Sulawesi's
Dolidindawa, Maluku's Sasi and West Nusatenggara's Suba Monca.

The organizers will pick the best participants, based on their
performances in general, technical aspects, discipline and
management.

A team of 15 judges will choose ten best performances, five
best choreographers, five best conductors and the most
disciplined group.

The team is chaired by Soedarsono, rector of the Yogyakarta-
based Indonesia Institute of Arts.(29/05)