Indian dancer performs in Bandung

Indian dancer performs in Bandung

Aendra Medita, Contributor, Jakarta

Renowned Indian dancer-choreographer Astad Deboo brings three
numbers of his Dance Expression to Selasar Sunaryo Art Space in
Bandung on Saturday.

The performance, scheduled to take place at the amphitheater,
is not his first. Previously, he performed in Surakarta, Central
Java, and earlier this week at Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center,
Central Jakarta at an event in the ongoing JakArt@2003 arts
festival.

Among world-class dancers, Astad Deboo is known for his
innovative pieces drawn from classical Indian Kathak and Khatali
dances, combined with his knowledge of dance styles the world
over. While most dancers dedicate their performances to the Hindu
deities Shiva and Ganesha as a form of worship, Astad Deboo, who
studied modern western dance techniques at the London School of
Contemporary Dance in London, devotes his dances to space and the
body, which are integrated into his choreography and accompanying
music.

Born in Navsari, Gujarat, the 56-year-old recipient of The
Sangeet Natak Academy Award for Creative Dance from the Indian
government is now active with The Action Players group, a group
of deaf actors in Calcutta, India.

For his show in Bandung, Astad, who is considered to be a
pioneer in modern Indian dance, will experiment with forms and
concepts of stage performance, promising a stunning aesthetic
experience. In artistic terms, the setting will be prepared by
artists from Selasar Sunaryo Art Space.

The performance will be closed with an open discussion on
Astad Deboo's works with Saini KM, senior lecturer of Indonesian
Arts Institute (STSI) in Bandung.

Astad Deboo's Dance Expression, Selasar Sunaryo Art Space
amphitheater, Jl. Bukit Pakar Timur 100, Bandung. The show is on
June 7 at 7:30 p.m.