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The 10th Dancesport Festival: A celebration of artistic experience
Indonesiaâs long and colorful history reflects how dance has had a fundamental role in the development of the nationâs cultural identity
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Indonesia's long and colorful history reflects how dance has had a fundamental role in the development of the nation's cultural identity. For entertainment, ceremonial reasons, or simply for pure pleasure, dance has long been a feature of Indonesian life.
This September sees the Lombok International Dancesport Festival celebrate its 10th anniversary and the hundreds of local and international competitors, judges, supporters, officials and families are once again thrilled at the prospect of three days of uninterrupted competition.
Over the years, both the competition and its many competitors have matured, with many of the regular dancers developing into very capable performers.
Today, with its blend of traditional and modern dance competitions, slick organization and eye-catching seafront location, the festival has evolved into an eagerly anticipated artistic experience for both competitors and spectators.
The festival is made possible by the expertise and efforts of Puri Mas Boutique Resorts & Spa's owner and chief sponsor, Marcel De Rijk, who is also president of International Dance Asia (IDA). De Rijk, along with his team and the Santosa Villas & Resort Senggigi in West Nusa Tenggara, stages a festival that is more than just a competition ' it is a celebration of dedication, energy and ability.
The festival opens on the morning of Sept. 11 and closes on the following Sunday night, after the major prize giving.
Friday will see the International Dance Asia Artistic and Freestyle dance competition, with the traditional dance competition in the morning, followed by modern dance later in the afternoon and evening. The traditional dance competition features countless group, duo and solo performances of the most intriguing and complex of Indonesian dances.
With rapturous support, 2014 saw a host of Balinese and Javanese performances dominate, but the somewhat infamous Tor Tor and the Jangar troupe from Aceh also went down particularly well. Intriguingly, 2014 alsosaw dangdut make its debut and the high-paced group dance-off was a smash that one hopes to see retained in this year's festival.
The artistic and freestyle category is an opportunity for total expression. Hip-hop and street styles are the most common, but occasionally something quite unique occurs like the Baris dance performance set to rap in 2014, or the Swan Lake-style Tchaikovsky meets Cendrawasih performance of 2013, a performance so good that the organizers asked for an encore in the gala show.
Although Friday will be dominated by Indonesians, an international field will be on display in the solo, duo and team dance categories, including entries from Malaysia and the Philippines, who will compete with a host of young Indonesians for the coveted IDA titles.
Saturday is perhaps the jewel in the weekend crown as, for the first time ever, the IODI Kejurnas X (Indonesian National Championships) will be held outside Java. This is an achievement for Lombok and, with competitors from 20 provinces joining the competition, is a reflection of the growing importance and recognition of dance sport throughout Indonesia.
This year's Kejurnas also takes on extra importance for competitors, since the quadrennial National Games (PON) take place in 2016. PON 2016 is the first time that dance sport will be recognized and for dancers to enter PON, they must have competed in the 2015 IODI Kejurnas X in Lombok.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, it is all about glamour and style with ballroom and Latin dancing for the International Dance Asia Ballroom and Latin Lombok International Open. As in previous years, the international panel of judges will adjudicate across the amateur and professional dance categories.
Competitors are drawn from many countries, including Indonesia, Japan, Italy, the UK and Russia.
One of the perennial favorites, representing Hong Kong, is Evgeny Sokhranny and his dance partner Anastasia Kositsyna, who will once again be competing in the Professional Latin Dance.
In testimony to the Lombok Festival's growing status, Bulgaria will be represented for the first time by Mirko Pepe and his partner Ralica Velichkova in the Amateur Open Latin competition.
The festival in Lombok is easily going to be the biggest and most magnificent in its 10-year history and with so much at stake, the tension, diversity and quality will no doubt make for compulsive watching.
' Photos by Chris O'Connor
