German-trained group to dance at GKJ

German-trained group to dance at GKJ

JAKARTA (JP): The modern dance group Kreativitat Dance
Indonesia will stage five pieces at the Gedung Kesenian Jakarta
(GKJ) in Central Jakarta on Friday and Saturday.

Led by GKJ's chairwoman and renowned dancer Farida Oetoyo, the
dance company is made up of artists who studied dancing or music
in Germany.

The dance company will stage the works of Chendra Effendy,
Farida Oetoyo and Yudistira Syumas.

The planned performances are Chendra's Asa (Hope), Farida's
Kontras, Tok and Perjalanan 20 Detik (A 20-Second Journey) and
Yudistira's Lullaby. The leading dancers are Aprida Darmawansjah,
Christine Tjahyono, Mira Tedja, Sita Kristiana, Chendra Effendy
and Henry Jones.

Most of the pieces have been staged before.

Chendra's Asa won an encouragement award during GKJ's dance
competition in 1997. The upcoming shows will feature Aprida
Darmawansjah, Christine Tjahyono, Mira Tedja and Sita Kristiana
as the dancers.

Farida's Tok was first staged at the Taman Ismail Marzuki arts
center in 1985. But for the coming performance Farida has
enriched the dance with humorous touches and more elastic
movements. The dancers will also wear masks and red costumes.

Perjalanan 20 Detik, which will feature Chendra and Aprida
Darmawansjah, was first staged two years ago, while Kontras was
performed in September during the dance company's first official
performance, also at GKJ.

Yudistira, who studied ballet in Germany for four years, first
staged Lullaby in September last year. For the Friday and
Saturday performances, the music has been composed by Wong Aksan
and will be sung by Poppy Andaresta.

Farida said that by featuring these pieces she is trying to
enrich the youth of today's appreciation of contemporary art
performances such as dance.

"That's why I'm trying to create a dance that will be easier
to understand by young people," she said.

Her decision to stage older works was also expected to further
promote the dance company.

"Our main intention is to provide a chance for those who
missed the previous shows to watch them now," Farida told The
Jakarta Post.

Tickets for the show are sold at Rp 20,000 and Rp 25,000. For
further information, call (021) 3808283 and 3441892. (ste)