GKJ Awards puts dancers on their toes to excel

By Helly Minarti

JAKARTA (JP): There are certain conditions ideally required for arts to flourish. In the case of modern dance, this includes good schools where young artists can hone their skills and knowledge, good companies or groups where they can engage in the creative process, and opportunities, such as regular festivals and competitions, to showcase their works.

Gedung Kesenian Jakarta (GKJ, the Jakarta Playhouse) is organizing a choreography competition for which the winners will receive GKJ Awards.

"Dewan Kesenian Jakarta (The Jakarta Arts Council) used to hold such an event. It stopped a few years ago, and I feel that GKJ has to take over the task," said Farida Oetojo, director of GKJ.

However, she also has another agenda. "We want to map out choreographers in Indonesia by providing them a forum to showcase their new works," said Oetojo, who is a choreographer herself.

The first biannual GKJ Awards, held in 1997, attracted 98 entries. "It was quite good. And the impact for choreographers was definitely positive since it has stimulated them to continue their works," Oetojo said. She was referring to competition winners, whose trophies later opened some doors for them to perform on bigger stages. One of these is Jacko, who at the time was a student at the Jakarta Institute of the Arts, and won first place at GKJ Awards I.

Oetojo said she wanted to extend the event internationally by inviting participants from aboard, although this plan has been postponed due to the crisis. "For this one, we have announced it to Malaysia, hopefully they'll respond " said Oetojo, who last year co-founded the Kreativitaet dance company.

The need for a dance competition was confirmed by Nungki Kusumastuti, a senior dancer and now also manager of the Jakarta Institute of the Arts (IKJ) dance troupe.

"Competitions can be good forums, especially for new choreographers, to test and show their creativity through which they can emerge as professionals," said Nungki.

So, is it like a baptism for newcomers? "Sort of. Naturally we'd like to help the young choreographers, for example by promoting them in international events. But it's better if they can showcase their works at a respected forum where new talents are easily recognized."

GKJ Awards is open to everybody, not just young or new choreographers. "(That's why) we don't select entrants and we even include 'entertainment works' as one of the categories. It's simply an open forum. We don't have the intention to either seek new faces or group them into a 'senior-junior' scheme. Possibly the already established choreographer will win the awards, but we hope new faces will somehow find their way," Oetojo said.

There is no doubt a good festival can be a bridge to artistic recognition for those whose talents are not been publicly known. It is only a starting point, and the rest of the creative path to artistic stardom depends on the drive of each choreographer.

"They have to find their own way afterwards. I am a choreographer myself, so I know what I'm talking about," Oetojo said.

The GKJ competition is divided into three categories. First is choreography based on traditional styles, which includes new works centered around traditional or other ethnical expression. Second is the contemporary category, which includes works that use traditional or modern elements such as ballet and modern dance. Third is the entertainment category, referring to new works that use a either one or a mix of styles such as jazz dance, disco and anything else.

There are five places for each category (three main plus two runners-up) but only one choreographer will be selected to bring the title of the GKJ Awards home and be given the chance to perform the winning piece in the Fifth Indonesia Dance Festival '99, an international event to be held in September.

For those interested in joining the competition, please contact GKJ, telephone (021) 380 8283, 344 1892, fax 381 0924 or e-mail: gkj@pacific.net.id. The registration period ends on August 24.