On the fitness beat with 'Prima Raga'

On the fitness beat with 'Prima Raga'

By Lies Sartika

JAKARTA (JP): The girls move two steps to the right and left,
raising their arms in front of their faces and then pulling them
back and forth, following the instructions on television.

They eventually dissolve into peals of laughter as they fall
out of step with the instructor.

Nuki and her friends, all students at the Bogor Institute of
Agriculture, believe morning exercise is important before they
head off to study. They were disappointed when their favorite
program, Prima Raga, which they had followed for years, was
recently moved by private station ANteve from its usual 6:30 a.m.
time slot to 8 a.m.

The 30-minute fitness show is aired seven days a week. It
first appeared in early 1995, with instructors Fahmi Fahrezzy and
Vicky Burki who took turns instructing.

They usually mixed low-impact aerobics with more demanding
exercise. It was up to the viewer to choose the exercise which
was right for their needs and physique.

Fahmi and Vicky are both famous aerobics instructors. Fahmi,
who has been outstanding in sports since high school, graduated
from the physical education school of the Jakarta Teacher's
Training Institute, now the University of Jakarta, in 1987. He is
now a recognized coach for aerobics and has won a loyal following
among viewers, including many women.

Petite Vicky has now branched out into an acting career. She
frequently appears in television serials and commercials and has
not instructed on Prima Raga for sometime because of her acting
commitments.

Every episode begins with warm-up exercises before the first
and second main sessions. The program ends with stretching and
other exercises to help the viewers cool down after their early
morning exertion.

The exercises are not difficult to follow, and sometimes the
participants are instructed to use household items, such as
brooms, chairs, bottles and ball. Behind the instructor is
usually a team of four participants of both sexes who keep on
smiling as the instructors put them through their paces.

Another important part of the program is the dynamic music.
The beat gets viewers at home into the mood to follow what is
happening on the screen.

There has been a new look to the show since January 2000. New
sports trends, such as body language and taebo, have been
incorporated into the program. Aerobics is still aired five days
a week, from Monday to Friday, with taebo on Saturday and body
language reserved for relaxing Sundays.

Roy Tobing and Fifi Sijangga have joined Fahmi as instructors.
Fifi, whose mother is the classical ballet dancer Marlupi
Sijangga, shows the dynamic exercise routine of taebo. Roy, who
created body language 14 years ago and runs a school for its
instruction, leads the body language session on Sunday.

During its five years, the show has moved to different
locales. They include Javana Spa in Sukabumi, West Java, Mambruk
Quality Resort, Pantai Mutiara, Lido, Putri Duyung Ancol, the
Novotel Bogor and also on studio sets. It is now shot at Novotel
and Villa Equilibrium, with the distinctive grand white building
of the Equil mineral water company an imposing presence in the
background.

The move to a later time slot, which took effect in August
2000, was not to the liking of many fans. Many of them called the
station to express their disappointment at not being able to
watch the program anymore. One loyal viewer wrote to a newspaper
to complain that he could no longer exercise with Prima Raga
because he had to go to work.

To those who have time on their hands in the morning, Prima
Raga has become a friend in helping them start off the day with a
little light exercise.