Heavenly inspiration for Boi's latest piece

Heavenly inspiration for Boi's latest piece

By Primastuti Handayani

JAKARTA (JP): Running out of inspiration? Just go outside and
look up at the clouds. At least, that's what worked for
choreographer Boi Gumarang Sakti while conceiving his group's
performance for the Third Art Summit Indonesia 2001 International
Festival on Contemporary Performing Arts.

Inspired by the clouds' slow-but-various movements in a fine
blue sky, Boi created Di Jalan Tua (On the Old Road), which is
being staged at the Graha Bakti Budaya, Taman Ismail Marzuki, in
Central Jakarta on Friday and Saturday nights.

The performance begins with six women wearing maroon halters
and gold-colored A-line skirts with tails, and three male dancers
in gold baggy pants, all lined up on the stage. Their hair is
covered by veils. The stage itself has bamboo in the background
to the right and coarse grass on the left.

Which part reflects the clouds? The dancers' movements, which
are precise but random, just as the clouds, exploring their
bodies' endurance, agility and strength.

The performers are accompanied by seven musicians, dominated
by Javanese sitar (zither), kecapi (plucked stringed instrument),
gong and drums.

Both the dance and the music are strongly influenced by Minang
choreography and composition -- Boi's heritage.

"We didn't merely take Minang music to accompany the dance,
it's more subtle. We give our members freedom to express
themselves before we finish the composition," said music director
Piterman.

Di Jalan Tua describes a paddy field drought -- symbolized by
white sand -- in a village. The drought reflects the context of
contemporary society, needing fertilization, as symbolized by
dancers growing yellow flowers in the sand.

The 35-year-old Boi, whose real name is Yandi Yasin, said
after Thursday's rehearsal that he uses the sand -- 10 cubic
meters bought especially from Bangka island -- to reflect the
drought, as well as to demarcate the past and the present.

The flowers are symbols of love that must always be planted in
one's lives.

Boi actually changed his previous plan to perform another work
Ritus-ritus Kesucian (Rites of Purity), which explores women's
rights violations, only a month prior to the arts festival.

"I didn't want to perform a work that has been presented in
previous events. I admitted that I wasn't prepared and needed two
weeks to develop the concept," he said.

Art Summit organizer's spokesman Yusuf Susilo Hartono said
that the nine-member artistic team -- including Sardono W.
Kusumo, Ratna Riantiarno, Rahayu Supanggah and Sal Murgiyanto --
did not object to Boi's decision to change his work.

"The team considered the change a creative development.
Besides, Boi was not selected because of his mother's reputation,
but for his excellent national and international achievements,"
Yusuf said, referring to Boi's well-known choreographer mother
Gusmiati Suid, who is currently sick in hospital.

Credit must be given to all dancers who demonstrate their
ability to move quickly and fluently on the sand, while always
maintaining their poise. The accomplished performances have been
achieved through high discipline, strong commitment and hard
training.

During the opening sequences, Boi uses a sand curtain while
the dancers move backward. There is also a section involving four
female dancers lying face down while sand is poured on their
backs.

"That really hurts, but we try to enjoy it," said female lead
dancer Grace Suzan. "It feels like someone is throwing stones at
you."

With only one month of rehearsals in Boi's Depok studio, this
performance deserves two thumbs-up. Boi commented that the nine
hours of rehearsals each day helped intensify all dancers'
interaction, interpretation and evaluation of the piece.

Male lead dancer Benny Krisnawardi admitted that, "I still
have to focus on my balance during the performance. It's a tough
challenge as the sand is very unsteady, just like dancing on
water."

"In the first two weeks, we had to dance with glasses and
masks to avoid inhaling the sand. Later on, we adapted to it and
breathing techniques are definitely necessary in the show," Grace
said.

After the rehearsal, Boi expressed some disappointment -- not
because only a small numbers of reporters and photographers
showed up, as most of them had to cover violinist Vanessa Mae and
noted local singer Krisdayanti shows -- but because of some
technical "faults" relating to the use of fire in one scene and
water pouring onto a female dancer's head covered with a banana
leaf in another.

"The flame should have burnt the dried soil to give the effect
of a drought, while the water must be fall onto the dancer's head
drop by drop. We'll work on it," he said.

Boi's skyrocketing career began when he performed Pitaruh at
the Indonesian Choreography Competition in 1987. Since then, his
work has been performed in various countries, including India,
France, the United States, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan. He also
assisted organizers of the 1998 Asian Games with both the opening
and closing ceremonies.

His high standard of work and high commitment to the field of
dance have been recognized internationally and in 1991 he was
awarded the Bessie Award for choreography, in New York.