'We're Gonna Go Dancing' adds two cities to tour list

Helly Minarti ,  Contributor ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 06/18/2008 10:44 AM  |  Headlines

Dance aficionados will notice this June is rather special, unusually dotted with dance performances almost every other day.

The next not-to-miss performance is the second batch of Odori Ni Ikuze (We're Gonna Go Dancing), a dance program brought to Indonesia by the Japan Contemporary Dance Network (JCDN), a nonprofit organization that promotes Japanese contemporary dance artists.

Last year the JCDN took six groups of young Japanese choreographers to four countries in Southeast Asia (Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia). On this year's tour in Indonesia the group is bringing six dance companies to variously perform in Bandung and Bali, in addition to last year's stops, Jakarta and Solo.

The two performances in Bali, which kicked off the tour last week, and Jakarta, which is scheduled for Wednesday, share a similar line-up with the inclusion of local artists. For Bali, the organizers invited I Nyoman Sura, one of the island's most productive young choreographers, to participate.

For the Jakarta performance, collaborative work between Masako Yasumoto of Japan and local youth from the Namarina Ballet school will be showcased. The Yogya and Bandung performances will share the same program, with pieces by Masanori Hoshika and PINK, an all-female trio comprising Miki Isojima, Wakana Kato and Megumi Suka.

This year's performance opens with the youthful Kentaro, who mixes hip-hop, street dance and pop music in his work. Kentaro recently won the French Embassy prize for young choreographers at the Yokohama Dance Collection competition.

Kentaro's fluid choreography is contrasted by the duet of Dance Theater Ludens titled "Be". Originally performed in 2001, the piece has been performed widely both in Japan and overseas, including at the progressive Impulstanz in Vienna.

The Bali and Jakarta program is closed by the quirky Kikikikikiki, an ensemble of four girls from Kansai that uses an expressionist style. Dancing around in their pajamas -- amusing at times -- the team's performance is rather theatrical.

A commentary on war, Masanori Hoshika's "Returnee" is described as "a movement fetish with a unique sense of time". His solo consists of small gestures taken from daily life and uses several props.

Lastly, PINK (who will perform only in Bali) offers a twisted perspective of what contemporary dance could be. With Mika Kurosawa, the godmother of contemporary dance in Japan, as the group's mentor, the performance is reminiscent of those from Condors, the popular all-male dance company from Japan that performed in Jakarta years ago.

Established five years ago, PINK, with its motto "Have to Go Now", presents "Sunset Boat of Little Lambs". Dressed as cheerleaders, the dancers enter the stage flaunting their dance competition-honed style over the top of a popular disco tune, before stripping off throughout the act.

We're Gonna Go Dancing
June 18
GoetheHaus
Jl. Sam Ratulangi no. 9-15
Menteng, Jakarta
8 p.m.

June 22
Taman Budaya Yogyakarta
Jl. Sriwedani No. 1
Yogyakarta
7:30 p.m.

June 29 & 30
STSI Bandung
Jl. Buah Batu no. 212
Bandung
8 p.m.

All performances are free of charge. For further details see jpf.or.id or odoriniasia.jugem.jp/.

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