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young and energetic girl is pursuing her dream, but along the way she finds herself standing at the crossroads. Sounds familiar?

The musical drama Dream On offers a simple storyline that may resemble our own experiences. What makes it different from other musical dramas currently enjoying hype in the capital city is the rich use of various dances and ballet.

The musical, playing at Teater Jakarta auditorium, Taman Ismail Marzuki, in Central Jakarta from Dec. 17-18, is a celebration of the 55th anniversary of Namarina ballet, jazz and a fitness institution.

As many as 120 young dancers and a group of musicians are participating in the two-day show, which also features celebrities such as singer Alika Islamadina, aerobic trainer Vicky Burki and actress Niniek L. Karim.

The story centers on Karina (played by Alika), who dreams of becoming a professional dancer. Despite objections from her mother, who expects her to excel in academics, Karina happily shares her passion for dancing with her close friends at the school.

Together, they struggle to win a talent competition in their city. Her group fails, but Karina steals the attention of one of the judges, who happens to own a dance school. Thereafter, her life becomes more complicated, as she has to make some important choices that influence her future.

During the rehearsal on Friday, Alika’s smooth and elegant ballet movements successfully communicated her emotions. The other young dancers also delivered breathtaking performances.

We could enjoy Brazilian samba dance, Burlesques dance, classic and contemporary ballet dances, cheerleader attractions and even a performance staged by little children.

The rehearsal on Friday was a bit late as the stage was still being installed. There were a few silent moments between one scene and another and some disturbing technical details, such as a troubled microphone. Despite all of the problems, the dance choreography was entertaining and we could feel the spirit and hard work of the dancers.

Namarina School principal Maya Tamara said the non-formal institution has been able to exist for over half a century because it was built upon a passionate foundation of love for dance. “We look forward to becoming the first vocational dance school in the city,” she said.

— JP/Indah Setiawati