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.