Kids' festival hoping to raise interest in arts

JAKARTA (JP): Parents often scare the living daylights out of their children with reproving ghost stories.

Children, too, have their own frightening stories in return, be they about drugs, cosmetics, education or conveniences of life.

A children's drama on these "modern ghosts", Menonjok Hantu (Punching The Ghost), is part of an eight-day Child Arts Festival, scheduled to be held at Gedung Kesenian Jakarta (The Jakarta Playhouse), Central Jakarta, beginning Aug. 15.

The festival comprises a display of drawings, a three-day bazaar and games for children and 12 art performances, including Balinese dances, Malay dances, a Sundanese dance and a couple of musical and ballet performances.

Gedung Kesenian Jakarta occasionally presents children's programs but the festival is a first, according to the playhouse chairwoman Farida Oetoyo. She hopes to hold monthly performances for children.

"This is something to attract children into Indonesian arts. This way children will learn about our rich culture," she said.

"For those who would want their children to learn ballet or other dances performed at this festival, could contact us or approach the choreographer or dance manager directly."

The playhouse invested Rp 35 million for the festival.

Among the performances is a Betawi dance, Kembang Ape, on Aug. 15 at 3:30 p.m.. Choreographed by Retno Mamila Wanti, it is a production of Daya Presta, a dance company which has been honored in dance and choreography competitions since its establishment in 1983.

Punching A Ghost, a production of Bella Studio and directed by Edi Haryono, will be staged the following day at 10:30 a.m.

Following it is an interesting children's drama titled The Tame One. Directed by poet Jose Rizal Manua, the production tells about a girl who is rescued by her pet wild dog from a tiger.

Ballet performances by dance school Sumber Cipta, led by Farida Oetoyo, and dance school Namarina, led by Maya Tamara, will be held the same day, from 3 p.m.

Sumber Cipta will have its students dancing the polonaise, polka, gallop, Czardas and Finale in Prologue, the first of the two-part performance.

Anoman Obong, a children's version of wayang orang (traditional mask dance-drama) and adapted from a chapter of the Hindu epic,Ramayana, will be staged at 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 22.

It tells of monkey character Hanoman burning the Alengka kingdom of King Rahwana.

Musical performances by vocal groups of music schools Bina Vokalia and YPM Music School will be held at 10:30 a.m. the next day.

The same day will feature Balinese dances by choreographer I.G. Kompiang Raka and Melayu dances, by Meity C.K. Naingollan and Tom Ibnur, performed from 3 p.m. onward.

Excluding the Rp 30,000 ticket price for ballet performances, ticket prices range from Rp 10,000 to Rp 15,000. (ylt)