Sigma puts on somber theatrical performance

Armando Siahaan, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

A combination of absurdist choreography, gloomy music and a dark, simplistic setting produced a somber evening at Gedung Kesenian, Central Jakarta.

It was an unusual way to celebrate the upcoming anniversary of the city.

Sigma Dance Theater, through a show titled Si Tua di Kamar Belakang (The Old Man in the Room at the Back) sought to depict a sad reality about an old man who had dedicated his life to raising his children to be a success, but was paid back with ungratefulness as he ended up living at the back of the house with no facilities.

Benny Krisnawardi, the choreographer, did a good job in creating dance movements that conveyed the story. The pace of the plot was rather slow, with the first half showing the old man dancing, probably to express frustration at his isolation.

The dancers did well. Flexible and elastic movements were one thing, but what made their dancing praiseworthy was their genuine appreciation of the choreography.

The second half showed a group of dancers, dressed in traditional clothing. This time, the dances needed perfect coordination, especially as they used props such as plastic chairs and a flexible stick. Although it was imperfect, there was never an eye-catching blunder.

Credit should also be given to the musical arrangement, which continuously created a spooky atmosphere. Without it, the performance could have been very tedious as, even with the music, many in the audience appeared somewhat bored.

Sigma Dance Theater is a contemporary group that likes to experiment with its dances with the intention of offering something that is rich in expression. It may be rich in meaning, but experimentation tends not to attract much popular interest.

Perhaps that is the reason why only about 20 people attended the one-hour show, with many leaving the building unimpressed.

If one expected that Jakarta Anniversary Festival would consist of nights of jubilant festivity, this performance will surely be a disappointment. It was the exact opposite -- pure solemnity.

It might be true that this show pointedly depicted an unfortunate aspect of the city's culture, in which the elderly tend to lose their influence within society to the point of being ignored, perceived as being impotent to contribute to the dynamism of the metropolis.

But, what is questionable is whether it was appropriate to put on this performance amid preparations for Jakarta's anniversary. Many would prefer a joyous dinner with a tasty cake rather than having people judging all your flaws and mistakes at a birthday celebration.

This year's theme for the festival is "Jakarta, the City of 1001 Cultures". It was perhaps unfortunate that they decided to perform something that represented only the dark side of a city that is about to experience another annual celebration.