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)