Intercultural Creations of Dance Theater

Face to Face

 
Gumarang Sakti
Gusmiati Suid		 Dance Theater Basel
Joachim Schlömer

The newest creations of Dance Theater of Gusmiati Suid and Joachim Schlömer.

 

First Piece

:

ASA (Diujung Tanduk)
A Hope (on top of horn)

Choreography

:

Gusmiati Suid

Assistant Choreography

:

Boi G. Sakti

Second Piece

:

Stadt - Land - Fluss

Choreography

:

Joachim Schlömer

Costumes

:

Joachim Schlömer / N.N.

Music

:

By Gumarang Sakti
Juni Azwar, Syahrial, Risydul Fahman, Gusnisam, Vitta Okmarina.

Dance

:

Dance Theater Basel
Fabio Pink, Sonja Rocha, Jessica König, Virginie Lauwerier, Gerald Durand.
Gumarang Sakti Dance Company
Yessy Apriati, Ivonne Greselda, Davit D, Alvianto, Aistyaningnung, Aprilia A.

Stage/Light

:

Lutz Deppe (Berlin)

Venue

:

Gedung Kesenian Jakarta
(Jakarta Art Building)
July, 23, 24, 25, 1999

Producers

:

Goethe-Institut Jakarta
The Embassy of Switzerland, Jakarta.

Honoring a Commitment

In the antique and beautifully decorated hall of GKJ - Jakarta Art Building, an official but relaxed press conference was held in the morning of July 15, 1999. The bright faces of the co-hosts from Swiss Embassy and Goethe - Institute, professionally present the prestigious joint cultural arrangement, The Jakarta Project, featuring two great artists with International Fame, Gusmiati Suid of Indonesia and Joachim Schlömer, a German Choreographer, the Director of Dance Theater Basel of Switzerland.

It was a clear announcement of all parties concerned, including the artists as well as the organizers, that a daring and noble plan of a cross-cultural performance in the field of Dance Theater shall be implemented in due course. Honoring a commitment is a root of every success. Some critics say, there is no relation as sincere as cultural, more over the names of Gusmiati Suid and Joachim Schlömer, two reputable artists, wellknown outside the boundaries of their countries, no doubt, shall be able to join perform in the best artistic movements as a transformation of an inside true feeling. Kindly read the related articles, in this same homepage, to find out who they are.

 
   

Workshop of Choreography

The execution of the collaboration of both choreographers joined by members of the two groups, as dancers and musicians is now underway in Depok, 30 km South of hurly-burly down town Jakarta, in the Gumarang Sakti studio, a tranquil green surrounding, a place of dream for the lovers of untouched nature! In its turn the nature reacts in favor of the guests, coming from the other part of the hemisphere, it knows frankly, that the visitors are good people with sincere desire to bolt a true friendship. The leaves of the bamboo-trees swing down in the fresh breeze with humid pure air to caring them. As if, it would like to greet wholeheartedly by whispering: "Welcome my friends, feel at home and dance well".

Different artistic background

Some people are having a rather pessimistic approach of the fact due to different background of both sides, artistically or even culturally. But fact is only outer side, what important is inside reality. For those having a sharp vision, any kind of differences are flowers of life; colorful. What's really matters is the essence of it. The core of art and culture belonged to any nation has the same root, the universe, the nature including the human-being living in.

The fact that Gusmiati Suid has a Minang, traditional West Sumatran conservative background and Joachim Schlömer has a modern western schooling background is not a big deal. It is merely an existing technical matters. Their expertise and most of all, sincerety to bridge the gap, in several days are able to tune it up!

Gusmiati Suid confidently said to the journalists: "Well, universal value prevails, no big problem. We continue with our dance preparation". Joachim Schlömer who sympathetically opened his briefing with a smiling "Hello" to the audience, sincerely said: "The difference? It's great!". A cultural writer commenting positively of the smooth cooperation between those artists from East and West by saying: "It's heart to heart approach based upon mutual respect and honesty between unselfish matured peoples".

The Performance

Both great choreographers categorically said they have prepared, still preparing the training at their best, back-up by high spirit of professionalism of all the crew. They have same musicians and same dancers (consisting of 5 persons from each group) same stage and light experts, but they will have 2 pieces of Dance Theater Creations. Gusmiati Suid or usually referred as Bu (Mother) Yet by her close friends, inhaling deep her kretek (clove) cigarette explained firmly:

Her present dance composition is named, ASA (Hope), (Diujung Tanduk) she insists must be written between brackets - (on top of horn). In deep voice she further said:

It's the right of everybody, every nation, every country to have a hope. She was avoiding to disclose the message of her newest composition. "It's up to the public to understand it". Closing her statements she asked: "Do we still have hope? Do we still have love? Do we still have life?"

Joachim Schlömer as usual calmly exposing in short his newest creation - Stadt - Land - Fluss.

"Let's imagine of man from a busy city, travelling out of town in the midst of a peaceful environment, where he encounters with a clean flowing river. After staying a while, he return, to the town, with clean and healty mind, he keeps an important energy resulted from his leisure trip".

The same as Ibu Yet, he gives a freedom of evalution of his creation entirerely to the audience. As the conclusion of this valuable press conference, all related parties are honored to welcoming Jakartan Dance Theater lovers to see this extra ordinary performance at GKJ - Jakarta Art Building, in the evenings of July 23, 24 and 25, 1999.

 
   

Heart to Heart Encounter

After the press conference, during an amicable atmosphere of lunch with delicious Indonesian dishes, Joachim Schlömer, despite his tight schedule, has agreed spontaneously to express his sincere and open-minded personal opinion of this magnificent cross cultural performance, one day after its premier. The topic is a really artistic expression: "Heart to Heart Encounter" follow soon this appealing article in this website.

Exclusive interview with Joachim Schlömer

Suryo S. Negoro

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