Searching for the contemporary in the traditional

contemporary indonesian dance in southeast Asia

Sal Murgiyanto

pp. 207-221

in: Jon McKenzie, Heike Roms, CJW-L Wee (eds), Contesting performance, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2010

Abstract

The focus of this chapter is on the relationship between the "contemporary" and the "traditional" in the way dance is approached in Indonesia -and indeed, in a number of Southeast Asian contexts. This "approach" is itself a form of research. Two facts are of particular salience here. First, in Indonesia, most choreographers are trained in traditional dance. There are some choreographers who are trained in Western forms such as ballet and modern dance, but they are in the minority. Second, it is worthwhile noting that there is no single Indonesian culture. The country consists of many ethnic cultures, and therein lies one of Indonesia's strengths -its possession of a rich and diverse variety of traditional artistic forms. Despite these two facts, Indonesian choreographers are interested in contemporary dance, but this orientation is distinct in that it does not forgo traditional values and the traditional dance forms.