CIOFF INDONESIA

115 JHS Amazing Performance on International Children Folklore Festival in Sale, Morocco

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Al-Azhar 1 Pusat SHS Shines on 15’th Eurofolk Zamosc 2016

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SMA Al - Azhar 1 Jakarta is participated on cultural mission in the city of Zamosc, Poland on July 12 to 17, 2016. The festival is attended by eight countries, namely Montenegro, Ecuador, Indonesia, Israel, Latvia, Serbia, Slovakia and Poland. Indonesia represented by AL-Azhar 1 Senior High School that included 34 members as a dancers and musicians, three teachers, and one person Representative from CIOFF Indonesia, Lydia Lestari Utami.

After the process of training for approximately 4 months prior to attending this festival, they finally will feature seven varieties of dances: Greget Jawara dance, Topeng dance, Genjring Party dance, Yapong dance, Mandau dance, Medley of Enggang and Balian dance, and also Saman dance. They also feature singing some Indonesian folk songs like Kambanglah Bungo, Sinanggar Tulo, Alusiau and others.

After the arrival, each State representatives were invited to meet the Mayor of the Local with using the traditional dress to introduce each culture characteristic. And in the evening, they invited to the Opening Ceremony that held at the Great Market Square, which is filled by the appearance of the host itself, from Warsaw University of Poland. All participants of the festival also participated in the parade which has to walk around Zamosc towns using traditionals costumes while showing some little dances movement and singing some songs during the parade and continued to perform on stage. When finished performing on stage, they are also asked to follow the activities of Folk Party which was held in the arena of the Great Market Square with dancing to the music while interacting directly with local people.

Indonesia honored to perform in one of the Old Town for approximately 30 minutes. Al-Azhar 1 SHS then perfomed Genjring Party dance, Yapong dance, Greget Jawara dance, Topeng dance, Saman dance, and also the contemporary music. The audience is amazed with their performance and wondered to learn the dance movement. They also interact with the local people and get captured by many local journalist.

Another memorable experiences is when all delegations is participated in the Mass. After the Mass is finished, all festival delegates also welcomed to singing their own songs. Indonesia itself was sung Indonesia Pusaka solemnly and they successfuly amazed all participants of the Mass in the church of the Zamosc Cathedral. After that, they also singing along together with other festival participants from other countries in the area of the Great Market Square. Al-Azhar 1 SHS bring the popular thousand hands Saman dance from Aceh for their last performance in the Finale Concert which followed by thunderous applause by the entire audience.

Written : Lydia Lestari Utami

Edited and published by : Ghina Aulia Megaputri

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SMP Negeri 115

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SMP Negeri 115

115 Junior Highschool Inauguration Ceremony

22.29CIOFF INDONESIA

This year, 115 Junior Highschool is back on cooperating with CIOFF Indonesia to send their students to participate in a cultural mission to Sale, Morocco. The Inauguration ceremony for the team was held at Menara Multimedia, Central Jakarta, on July 17th 2016. The event was attended by parents and VIP guests including, the President of CIOFF Indonesia, Mr. Said Rachmat and Moroccan ambassador for Indonesia, Mr. Mohamed Majdi.

The inauguration ceremony was opened with a performance from the choir group of 115 Junior Highschool, followed with a parade entrance by the team singing “Halo-halo Bandung”. Each of the team members was introduced to the audience as well as the teacher companions and the coaches from CIOFF Indonesia. A video documentation of team’s preparations and testimonials were also showed during the event.

The first performance was done by the musician, playing the contemporary music arrangement, and then the next performance was Greget Jawara dance from Betawi with the use of two fans as a symbol of weapons. Next on the line was Yapong dance, also originated from Betawi, which usually performed for an opening of an event in Betawi tradition.

Mrs. Vera representing the parents and also the Head of the Inauguration event spoke her thoughts regarding the group’s departure for the mission. She appreciated the efforts given by the students for sparing their time to rehearse for the cultural mission, she hoped that the trip will bestow them with precious knowledge and positive experience by introducing Indonesian culture and interacting with participants from other countries.

There was also a special collaboration performance by Syafigo and Syagova (brothers) playing “Indonesia Pusaka” with violin and saxophone. Following performance was a medley dance of Enggang Dance (Borneo) - Tifa Dance (Papua) – Balian Bawo Dance (Borneo) and last but not least, Saman Dance (Aceh). 115 Junior Highschool Inauguration Ceremony closed with pray together that lead by the Principal. Good luck 115 JHS!

Written by : Gayatri Larasati

Edited and published by : Ghina Aulia Megaputri

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Pencak Silat And The Expression of Missing Home In Rantak Dance

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Rantak Dance is uniqe but unpopular dance from Minangkabau

"One ... two ... three ... four ... five ... stomp with your heels! Six..." The sound echoed in the auditorium Galeri Indonesia Kaya (GIK), Grand Indonesia, Jakarta, accompanied by dozens of people stomping rhythmically.

"We’ll do this 11 times," continued Nur Kusuma Ngarasati or usually called Raras, dance coach of the Council of Organizations of Folklore Festivals and Folk Arts (CIOFF®) Indonesia, an institute of art and culture in collaboration with UNESCO. Raras was training a five-days workshop of Rantak Dance held by GIK for the general public. The training will conclude with a performance of this Minangkabau (West Sumatra) Dance in front of audiences.

Participants learn Rantak dance movements in just five days

As the name implies, “Rantak” in Rantak Dance means stomping, the dancers stomps according to the Ragam (sequence of movements in dance). Rantak dance can be performed by men and women and it was opened with the dancers entered the stage in formation, with the guidance from Minang gandang (drum) quick and decisive beat. Step by step, the dancers entered, with their right foot "stomping the earth" in each ragam.

The sounds of dancers stomps become the trademark for Rantak Dance

In five days, Raras and the team of CIOFF teach 15 ragam of Rantak Dance to the participants

"So it's all about dynamic. The music that we hears were not only came from musical instrument, but also from the sound emitted due to the movement of dancers. This is what distinguishes Rantak dance with other Minangkabau dances, "said Raras

The sweat began to appear from the dancer who has been in the world of dance since the age of four and became member of CIOFF® for nearly ten years. Stomping feet full of energy continue to color the first session of the workshop, which lasted for two hours and learn the 3 movements of a total of 15 ragam of Rantak Dance.

Philosophy of Pencak Silat

Rantak Dance taught at GIK is a work of the Mr. Gusmiati Suid, a dance maestro's from Batusangkar, West Sumatra. This dance was created in 1976, as an expression of dissatisfaction with the Minang dance, which he thought too graceful. He also create Rantak Dance by adopting the philosophy of Pencak Silat, a traditional martial art, which has been long recognized in West Sumatra. Besides Rantak, some Pencak Silat movements also characterizes the Rantak Dance. Raras explained, "For example, if there are fifteen ragam in Tari Rantak, eleven of which came from Pencak Silat, while other Minang dance, only had four or five of them."

Raras demonstrate one movement that inspired the philosophy of martial arts, Ukua jo Jangko

"There are several philosophies of Pencak Silat used in this dance. But the most obvious is Ukua jo Jangko, it means to measure (with compass), "she said. One movement that apply Ukua jo Jangko philosophy, is a movement of the hand during the opening of the dance. When the right foot strikes the floor, right hand also struck through the opening of left-hand that half crossed over the chest. The right hand then quickly pulled out, opened, as if to measure.

"This is the basic movements of Pencak Silat," said Raras while demonstrating the movement. According Raras the movement philosophy is "every person's actions, must be calculated in advance"

Participants warm up before practice begins

There is also a philosophy of Garak-Garik (gestures), "It can be seen from the movement of the head, that begins to look down, then forward. The philosophy is to see everything with vigilance ".

While philosophy Tagak-tagak which dancers stand in upright position in several positions, symbolizing the concept of contemplation before taking action. "So, every dance movement, were thought by our ancestors, so we can act wisely and live wisely. Indonesian dances were very meaningfull, if we knew about the movements and the philosophy. "

"It's quite easy"

Rantak Dance Workshop is part of the Gallery of Indonesia Kaya (GIK) program to teach different dance around Nusantara (Indonesian Archipelago) each month.

"Because if the program (dance training) were not held, the knowledge of the dances will be stop at our old generation," said Program Associate Bakti Budaya Djarum Foundation, which takes care of GIK, Billy Gamaliel.

Billy Gamaliel views dance training as an effort to assess the 'regeneration' of the culture

Moreover, he said, the interest of young people to watch the performing arts associated with Indonesia traditional cultures, were still low, "The people who study and watch the dances never changed. So if the older generation were not there anymore, the performing arts, such as Indonesian dances will be die. "

For the reasons to 'regenerate' and see the diversity of Indonesian culture, GIK, according to Billy tried to pick a dance that is not well known. From West Sumatra, Rantak Dance "Which was not known by many people" was selected when compared to other Minang dance like Piring Dance or Pasambahan Dance.

The participants in the workshop Rantak Dance, divided into two sessions: afternoon and evening

This is the reasons that made Eko Setiawan, a young dancer and dance instructor from a dance studio in Pamulang, sign up to become one of the workshop participants.

"If i only learn from watching (the dance video) on youtube, i’m afraid i can’t transfer the dance movement (to friends) correctly. There’s also a trainers here to train me, so why not?, "said Eko conveying the reason why he attend this workshop.

Eko (second from right) intend to share knowledge gained from this workshop to his students in the studio

After attending several sessions of the workshop, turns out learning Rantak Dance was not 'as easy' as he thought. "It’s quite difficult at the beginning. Especially the tempo. There was a pause, and then move again, there are fast and slow movements, I need to learn more about the tempo. I miss the tempo several time, even for someone like me (dancers). "

However, it did not lessened the spirit of this man who had loved to dance since childhood. "(I) feel a responsibility. A responsibility to learn. Because if I did this just for hobby, and did not understand its meaning, its movement and also can’t share the knowledge, I think it's a pity. Other teenagers wouldn’t know about this dance if there’s no one willing to teach them," he said.

Missing Home

However, there maybe no other person who felt more special to learn Rantak dance more than Yohana Suwandi, or usually called Yona.

Born and raised in West Sumatra, Yona was very curious to learn Rantak dance

In contrast to Eko, who works as a dancer, Yona, who is a recruitment consultant, the last time she dance is when she was a child, about 20 years ago. Rantak Dance Workshop was special for her, because since childhood she often watch Rantak Dance and have long wanted to learn it. She came from Padang, West Sumatra and recently moved to Jakarta three years ago.

"Especially now far from home. There is a longing to come back home. With learning Minang dance, in addition to satisfy my curiousity, it can reminds me of my memories back home," says Yona. The longing for home and her great interest, doesn’t always make studying Rantak dance an easy thing for her.

"It's so difficult," said Yona. "The difficulty is to memorize moves. Minang Dances had a lot of fast movements, so it’s difficult to catch them."

Minangkabau dance movements were considered by a number of participants as, 'very quick'

Although never missed practice in five days workshop training, this difficulty later becomes an obstacles for Yona. On the last day of the workshop, Raras and the team announced 5 of the 13 participants, selected to appear on the show the next day. With the consideration of the movement memorization, Yona was not selected, but Eko was selected.

Performance Day

Although not selected, Yona’s spirit to enjoy the art of her native hometown, did not fade. She was on the spectators line of Keunebah show in GIK which opened with Rantak Dance.

Yona in middle of the audience during the D-day appearance

When the light began to fade and stomping music was echoed, tension began to appear in Yona’s face. Dancers began to enter in the typical foot stomps of Rantak Dance. Eko and his four colleagues’s hands move quickly, like measuring, symbolizes the philosophy of martial arts who previously taught by Raras, Ukua Jo Jangko. The music kept playing, the beats kept changing. The dancer's body move shiftly on the stage.

By stomping the floor, the five seleced dancers enter the stage

In the audiences seat, Yona now smiles thinly. At the middle of the dance, comes the part where the dance tempo suddenly changed quickly. The part that always worried by Eko. Music was changing fast, Eko seemed to miss the tempo of some movement. However, he quickly catches his rhythm again, according to the music.

Eko (left) miss the tempo of some movement

Although only practiced for five days, the participants seemed to perform with confidence

Music reach climax, Rantak stomps echoed, followed by applause from the audience, including Yona. Rantak dance that lasted about five minutes and studied in just five-day workshop was ended.

"Yes, it was very sad not being able to perform. But I’m glad, they performed the dance very nicely, I’m proud of it. But unfortunately, I actually felt more homesick now after watching him," said Yona while smiling to BBC Indonesia.

The audience in the auditorium of Galeri Indonesia Kaya

And of course, the happiest one are the dancers. "Relieved, but a little nervous. There was a wrong move because i lost count. I’m more relieved now. But yeah, I think i could do better than that," said Eko after performance.

Participants Rantak Dance posing before the show

Though it feel short, Eko claimed to have gained much from the training and performance. Starting from learning the basic movement and philosophy of martial arts, new dance variety, and what he considered "the most important", are his new friends.

With heavy breath and sweat all over his forehead, Eko also told what he express during the training a few days ago. "I intend to share this with the other students, my students. In the studio or at school, to let them know about Rantak dance movement. Not only listen, you know, but also try and understand its philosophy," said Eko.

Original article:
http://www.bbc.com/indonesia/majalah/2016/06/160530_majalah_seni_tari_rantak

Written by Rafki Hidayat (BBC Indonesia) June 1, 2016
Translated and published by Galih Sadhira & Ghina Aulia Megaputri

115 JHS Amazing Performance on International Children Folklore Festival in Sale, Morocco

Al-Azhar 1 Pusat SHS Shines on 15’th Eurofolk Zamosc 2016

CIOFF® Indonesia goes to World Folkloriada 2016 in Zacatecas, Mexico

Flying high through dance. Our choreographer, Rosmala covered on Koran Tempo Newspaper (20 July 16)

115 JHS Performance On Kompas TV

115 Junior Highschool Inauguration Ceremony

Inaugurations of Al-Azhar 1 Pusat SHS cultural mission to Poland

Uplifting Cultural Spirit Through Dances (CIOFF® Indonesia featured on CNN Indonesia)

Pencak Silat And The Expression of Missing Home In Rantak Dance

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