Local and int'l dance events bring new life to performing arts

Local and int'l dance events bring new life to performing arts

Text by Rita A. Widiadana, photos by Mulkan Salmona

JAKARTA (JP): Remarkable dance performances dominated the year
l996 in the performing arts.

After depressing performances over the last few years the
local dance world is now heading toward an era of regeneration.

Many young and promising dancers and choreographers are ready
to establish themselves in the local dance scene and replace
their seniors. It is encouraging to look back at the years dance
performances.

There were also several joint efforts between the arts
community, the government, and the private sector to develop
local dancers. Equally important was the opportunity for the
audience to watch and learn from quality dance compositions.

International festivals, seminars and workshops on dance
development will certainly have a positive impact on the local
dance scene.

One important event was the biannual Indonesian Dance Festival
(IDF) in July. The festival involved more than 300 dancers, dance
critics and scholars from 16 countries.

The event, held at Gedung Kesenian Jakarta and Taman Ismail
Marzuki Arts Center, included dance performances, workshops and
seminars on modern dance development. Famous dancers like
Canada's Maxine Hepnner, France's Jackie Taffanel and Asian-
American choreographers like Yin Mei, Yukie Shiroma, Marie Cheng
and Marcia Wong, Venezuela's Leyson Ponce, South Korea's Kim Mae-
Ja, Japan's Kota Yamazaki and the Philippines Edmund Gaerlan
participated.

Several young Indonesian artists used the forum as a showcase
for their dancing skills. Dancer-choreographer Linda Hoemar and
Bekti Lesmini (Jakarta), Miroto (Yogyakarta), Nanu Munajar
(Bandung), Syaiful Erman (West Sumatra) were among the local
dance scene's rising stars.

During the festival, the 29-year-old Hoemar, who is joining
the New York-based Elisa Monte Dance Theater, presented her own
choreography,Lalu.

Accompanied by Tony Prabowo's music composition, Hoemar
demonstrated her dancing skills in a 20-minute solo dance.

Veterans like Farida Oetoyo who presented Putih-Putih
(Whiteness) and Bagong Kusudiardjo with Semar remained shining.
They seemed to show their predecessors the road to success was
not easy.

The Indonesian Dance Festival is expected to become a forum
for local and international dancers to share their ideas and
expertise. It should become the place where the regeneration
process takes off.

Progress

Dance critic Sal Murgiyanto said Indonesia could use the
festival to learn the international dance world's progress and
map local dance development.

Other important dance performances were held at the Schouwburg
Festival in September. The festival celebrated Gedung Kesenian's
anniversary.

Dubbed mother-and-son performances, Farida Oetoyo, Gusmiati
Suid and Boi Sakti, presented their best compositions.

These three choreographers represented three generations, each
making an important contribution to contemporary dance in
Indonesia.

Farida Oetoyo staged Topeng (Mask). While costumes and music
enhanced the performance, the composition was more a sketch than
a complete work.

She staged another piece, Areinam, which revealed her
fascination with traditional dance. Areinam explored Balinese
dance and classical ballet. Comical and sensual qualities were
revealed with facial expressions and movements typical of male
dancers, though the cast was mostly female. The music was
composed by her son, Wong Akhsan, and together they are a strong
force in the local art scene.

Gusmiati Suid presented Seruan (Cry). Gusmiati's work is a
medium to express social concern which she communicates and
composes in a modern, Western style. However, Gusmiati starts
from the traditional dance of the Minangkabau, a West Sumatra
ethnic group where she comes from. Dance from this region of
Sumatra emphasizes movement as much as singing. Religion,
particularly Islam, is an important element.

Young choreographer Boi Sakti, Gusmiati's son, presented
Salawat. Like his mother's composition, Salawat was rooted in
Minangkabau dance and rich with religious overtones in its praise
of the prophet Muhammad. While the mother's strength lies in her
ability to transform a concept into a work of art, Boi Sakti
focused more strongly on composition.

Traditional dance also came into the spotlight. Ramayana
Ballet, was reproduced and restaged at Prambanan Temple's open
stage last September.

The ballet has helped preserve many forms of classical
Javanese dance such as the sacred Bedoyo, Srimpi, Wireng as well
as traditional Javanese music through the performance of gending
gede tengahan, gending pakurmatan, gending dolanan ...

Dancers Sardono W. Kusumo, Retno Maruti and Sulistyo
Tirtokusumo revived the Ramayana Ballet under the auspices of the
Ministry of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications.

In addition to local dance performances, foreign artists'
performers including Australia's Aboriginal dance troupe, the
Bangarra Dance Theatre, gave different nuances to local dances.

Performed at Taman Ismail Marzuki last October, the Sydney-
based Banggara Dance Theater, offered plays which were rich in
Aboriginal symbolism referring to the colors of the land. To
Aboriginal people, colors symbolize different aspects of human
existence on earth.

The Boston Ballet's performances and Britain's The Kosh were
also highlights.

A collaboration between Indonesia and Korea in Gora-Goda was
a milestone in dance cooperation between Asian countries.

Produced by Adilla Suwarno, Gora-Goda included many players
who had been involved in Indonesian and overseas performances.
These included Restu Imansari, as assistant choreographer and
performer, Tony Prabowo as music director, Margesti as a
performer, and vocalist Nyak Ina Raseuki.

This mixture of dance and drama choreographed by Korean Kang
Man-hong, spoke through ritual movements without a word being
spoken, Gora-Goda was staged in Korea and New York City. In
Jakarta it was performed on Dec. 23 and Dec. 24 at Gedung Graha
Bakti, Taman Ismail Marzuki.

Problems

A basic problem emerged from the local dance world: there are
too few dance critics in Indonesia who can narrow the gap between
the choreographers and their audience.

Murgiyanto said many choreographers failed to communicate
their ideas to the audience. "We need more dance critics who are
able to translate the meaning and the philosophy behind each
choreographed work."

Franki Raden, a performing arts observer, said looking at all
dance performances throughout the year, it seemed the Indonesian
dance community was still working hard to create a new tradition
in the contemporary dance world.

He said the staging of international events was urgently
needed to evaluate the potency of Indonesian choreographers and
dance development in Indonesia and overseas. These events give a
valuable chance to critics and audiences to learn the most recent
developments in dance choreography.

He said the fourth Indonesian Dance Festival was a sign of
growing seriousness and enthusiasm in the Indonesian dance
community.

It was clear from various dance festivals the development and
regeneration of local dance was slow compared to countries like
Japan and South Korea. Indonesian modern dance is still in its
infancy, searching for a new kind of dance language and
expression.

Franki said this was because pioneer Indonesian modern dance
pioneers like the late Huriah Adam, Yulianti Parani, Farida
Oetoyo and Sardono W. Kusumo failed to pass on their knowledge
and skills to the next younger generation.