After almost a decade hiatus, the once iconic water fountain at the National Monument (Monas) has started dancing again to entertain visitors with its colorful lights, projected visuals and traditional and national songs every weekend.

The first dance of the water fountain on Saturday marked the launch of a campaign named “Yuk ke Monas” (Let’s go to Monas), kicked off by Jakarta Governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat.

Some 500 people who filled the park near the fountain were mesmerized by the light play that followed the movements of the water fountain. With their smartphones, they videotaped the multi-colored water as it gracefully danced to the classic songs “Tanah Airku” (My Homeland) and Kroncong Kemayoran.

Ani, 50, a resident of Jelambar, West Jakarta, who visited the park with her family, said she was impressed by the fountain.

“The shape and the movement of the fountain are so attractive. The music is also good,” Ani said.

Another visitor, Ilham, 37, a Bekasi resident, enjoyed the dancing fountain but urged the city administration to introduce more displays to make the water fountain more attractive, just as he saw during the administration of former Jakarta governor Sutiyoso.

The site was popular in the 1970s, when the dancing fountain inspired noted dangdut singer Rhoma Irama to write a song entitled “Ke Monas” (Going to Monas) with equally famed dangdut singer Elvy Sukaesih in 1971. The fountain later broke down and was only fixed during Sutiyoso’s administration in 2005 and named Air Mancur Pesona Monas (Monas Pesona Fountain). The dancing stopped again in 2009 because of the high cost of operation until the administration of former governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, who announced a plan to make it dance again last year.

Speaking during the inauguration, Djarot said he hoped visitors from Jakarta and other regions could enjoy the fountain, which has been renamed “Monas Jakarta Fountain.”

Djarot’s face was projected onto the fountain’s water screen, accompanied by colorful rainbow lights.

In his speech, Djarot said the revitalization was completed thanks to concerned parties such as Ahok, who donated Rp 200 million (US$15,000), half of the cost of the revitalization. Djarot, who also donated to the fountain project, thanked Sabdo Kristianto, the head of the Monas technical managing unit; renowned conductor Addie MS, who arranged traditional music for the fountain; and Harry Aprianto Kissowo, who provided the speakers and the “magic” keyboard that plays the music in automatic setting in line with the water movements.

“Let’s enjoy Monas. Let’s go to Monas, My Monas, Your Monas, Our Monas,” Djarot said on the water screen.

Sabdo of Monas said the dancing fountain was expected to double visitors to Monas on weekends from the current 12,000.

On Saturday, visitors also enjoyed a musical performance by pop singer Vidi Aldiano and legendary band Koes Ploes.

Djarot also expressed appreciation to 17 workers in the Monas mechanical engineering department who fixed 40 pumps and installed more than 800 light-emitting diode lights to revitalize the fountain.

One of the workers, Budi Himawan, 40, said the project took about three months. They began the project by cleaning the pool of breeding mosquitoes and mud and fixed the pumps.

“As the pumps were not used for a long time, some of the cables were burned. We often had to work from morning till night to finish the project,” Budi said. He hoped the visitors could enjoy the fountain show while keeping the park clean.

Monas technical managing unit head Arista Nurbaya said the fountain would dance every Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

“One session lasts 20 to 30 minutes with five or six songs,” she said.

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