Indonesia sends cultural mission to Utah, Boston

JAKARTA (JP): A group of about two dozen Indonesian dancers leave tomorrow for Utah and Boston in the United States on a cultural mission aimed at helping build more positive bilateral relations.

The mission is being organized by the Indonesian-American Friendship Association. Its president, Moetaryanto, said that given the current economic and political situation in both countries, the building of friendship and mutual understanding through cultural ties had become even more important.

"A cultural mission is one way... to bridge differences," Moetaryanto said.

The mission will stay in the States for 16 days. During the first eight days in Utah, it will perform in front of students at several universities.

In the last eight days in Boston, the group will attend the annual Boston Festival, which usually has participants from up to 90 countries.

The dances to be performed come from Aceh, Minangkabau, Riau, Sunda, Cirebon, Java, Bali and Lombok. They have been choreographed by names as illustrious as Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, Bagong Kussudiardjo, and S. Kardjono.

Among the young choreographers involved is Lalu Suryadu Mulawarman, the winner of the Traditional Dance Choreographer Festival held at the Gedung Kesenian in Jakarta last month. (swe)