Lively 'dangdut' show reigns at home
Lively 'dangdut' show reigns at home
By M. Zarqoni Maksum
JAKARTA (Antara): If only famous futurist John Naisbitt had attended the colossal dangdut music show at Ancol last Saturday night, he would probably be more convinced of his own thesis that there were indeed paradoxical trends in this era of globalization.
At a time when global influences relentlessly invade us due to the development in technology and information, the local community has a strong yearning for a lifestyle and values showing their own culture.
This was obvious at the successful Semarak Dangdut Indonesia Emas, a giant dangdut show attended by about 300,000 people. The show was one of a series of events held to celebrate the country's golden anniversary.
This may signify that dangdut music has grown and developed within Indonesian community and has been able to stave off the invasion of music from outside.
Although pop and rock music continuously comes to our shores, part of the community longs for music with a local color that is close to and in harmony with their instincts.
"This show is indeed organized as an expression of gratitude to God for our country's independence. It is proof that dangdut music has become master in its own country," said famous dangdut musician Rhoma Irama.
If so far foreign musicians have always given spectacular full-house shows, the dangdut night filled the former Ancol circuit. There were the customary bottlenecks at the entrance to the Ancol recreation center earlier in the evening. Some 30 dangdut singers participated in the event accompanied by four music groups. There were groups of past popularity, including Elvi Sukaesih, A. Rafiq, Rita Sugiarto, Mansyur S. and Hamdan A.T.T., and Rhoma Irama, an old pro who enjoyed immense popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. The current generation was represented by Vetty Vera, Cucu Cahyati and Evi Tamala.
The performers succeeded in creating a rapport with their audience. Rhoma Irama accompanied himself with small drum beats, inserting elements of rock interspersed with lyrics of religious proselytizing. These were characteristic of the songs 195 Juta (195 Million), Pembaharuan (Renewal), and Seni (Art), his old songs which still drew a warm welcome from his fans.
Elvi Sukaesih remained loyal to her special brand of dangdut which was colorful and dominated by drum beats, enticing the spectators to move in rhythm. When she sang Pesta Panen (Harvest Time) she invited Minister/Secretary of State Moerdiono to come on stage and dance.
Fahmi Shahab fluently presented his dangdut mixed with disco idioms while Vety Vera did some spectacular dangdut dancing concocted with break-dance-syncopated turns in Michael Jackson style.
The spectators were rooted in their places giving frequent, enthusiastic applause until the show ended when Rhoma Irama sang Seni.
All the singers were dressed predominantly in red and white, shouting Merdeka (freedom) at each appearance,making the ambience to welcome the golden anniversary of the country's freedom very palpable.
The stage, which was 21 meters long, nine meters wide and four meters high, complied with the international standard and had 160,000 watts of power. It was flooded with the rays of color lights requiring 600,000 watts of power and four big monitors on the sides, to almost equal Bon Jovi's and Phil Collins' stages. For the first time a dangdut show was covered on a grand scale by two television stations. One station even mobilized 90 crew members. The state-owned TVRI made use of 11 cameras installed in various corners.
Dangdut dancing
Dangdut music is also identical with body movements which are often called joget. Some people say that the music is 50 percent for listening and 50 percent for dancing.
Last Saturday's spectators, carried away by the rhythms of the dangdut music, swayed their bodies to the music.
"To listen to dangdut without moving is like eating without salt," said Hari from Bekasi, who danced by only moving two forefingers and his head.
Dangdut dancing can be done without adhering to rules. Its followers can freely move, absorbed in the sound of the music. It is not exaggerating to say that dancing is the pouring out of freedom of the lower income community. Freedom to move and freedom to express themselves.
Dangdut dancing can even be combined with the movements of jaipong (Sundanese pop dance), rap, rock, reggae and disco. The important thing is it is without set movements, because if there are limitations, it will eliminate the essence of freedom of dancing on one's own.
Viewed from the size of the audience, the evening was a great success and clearly indicated that there was self-reliance in this musical genre.
Unlike the national films which have been subdued as a result of the invasion of Hollywood's hedonistic fantasy films, dangdut music has no fear of being replaced by foreign music.