Gandrung Sewu Banyuwangi Introduces New Concept, Held at Night for the First Time
The colossal Gandrung dance performance, Gandrung Sewu, will be held again with a new concept on Saturday, 24 October 2026. For the first time in 14 years, this performance, which has become a cultural icon of Banyuwangi, will be held at night, blending traditional art with lighting and performance technology.
This year, Gandrung Sewu 2026 has received full support from InJourney, the state-owned enterprise (SOE) holding company in the aviation and tourism sectors. This collaboration introduces a new concept of performing the Gandrung dance in a nocturnal setting, while still maintaining the essence and cultural values that serve as the soul of the performance.
The Regent of Banyuwangi, Ipuk Fiestiandani, stated that the nighttime schedule is intended to ensure Gandrung Sewu continues to evolve and provide a different experience for both spectators and tourists.
“Every year, we strive to present something new in Gandrung Sewu. This year, for the first time, we are presenting it at night. This is not merely a change in timing; we want to provide a different experience for the audience and tourists,” Ipuk said in her statement on Wednesday (30/09/2026).
More than 1,000 dancers will participate in the performance. The dancers will utilise phosphorus elements combined with lighting design to create unique visual effects in the night atmosphere.
“Tradition does not have to remain static. Tradition can continue to move, adapt, and evolve with the times without losing its identity. The core essence of Gandrung Sewu remains the Gandrung dance itself, with the movements, rhythms, expressions, and cultural values inherited from our ancestors,” said Ipuk.
According to Ipuk, the collaboration with InJourney provides new energy for the development of Gandrung Sewu, while simultaneously strengthening the arts, culture, and tourism ecosystem in Banyuwangi.
“We express our appreciation to InJourney for collaborating in the organisation of Gandrung Sewu. The collaboration between local government, the business world, artists, communities, and the public is vital energy to strengthen the arts and culture ecosystem as well as tourism,” she added.
Meanwhile, the SVP Corporate Secretary of InJourney, Yudhistira Setiawan, noted that Banyuwangi possesses complete tourism potential, ranging from natural and cultural wealth to various widely recognised attractions. He believes Gandrung Sewu has the potential to be developed as one of Indonesia’s signature cultural events.
“Banyuwangi has many established and complete tourism elements, including destinations and attractions. Banyuwangi possesses very strong natural and cultural wealth. In terms of attractions, there is Gandrung Sewu, which is already well-known to tourists,” said Yudhistira.
Consequently, InJourney, together with the Banyuwangi Regency Government, has designed the nighttime performance concept to provide a new experience and strengthen the appeal of Gandrung Sewu for both domestic and international tourists.
“In order to strengthen and amplify the Gandrung Sewu event to become a greater attraction for tourists from across the archipelago and abroad, we have designed this new nighttime concept together with the Regency Government, without forgetting the essence of the Gandrung culture itself,” he said.
Yudhistira added that a well-designed tourism event is not only intended to create crowds during the event itself. Furthermore, such an event is expected to create a multiplier effect across various tourism and regional economic sectors.
Furthermore, he hopes that the organisation of Gandrung Sewu can become part of a complete tourism experience for visitors travelling to Banyuwangi.
“This is our shared challenge. The hope for the future is that tourists attending Gandrung Sewu can have a seamless experience,” said Yudhistira.