Event Recap: Traditional Indonesian Dance Workshop
October 10, 2011 | Events Archive
On a beautiful fall day, Sunday, October 9, the Morse-Stiles Dance Studio was transformed to transport participants in a workshop at Yale University around the world to the Islands of Fire, Indonesia, and in particular to West Sumatra. Traditional Gamelan music played in the background while participants were invited to dress in batik dance sarongs for the duration of the workshop. Led by Bapak Waleed, Founder of the International Silat Federation, members of the Phoenix Dance Troupe received an introduction to the stepping and hand movements of traditional Indonesian dance of the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra.
While the participants warmed up with stretches on the floor and watched several video clips of traditional dance set in Padang and Batusangkar, West Sumatra, Bapak described several unique aspects of the Minangkabau culture. The movements he showed them during the workshop come from some of the oldest and most long-standing cultural traditions of the Minang people. The smooth and flowing stepping movements and patterns allow for toning, strengthening, and aligning of the joints, especially in the ankles, knees, hips and lower back. The accompanying hand movements require development of ambidexterity, and contain positions also useful for self defense. Bapak treated the participants to a treat in observing the Silat ‘play’ between two people that utilizes the movements of the arts and dance, both while stepping and with hands alone.
The Troupe thanked Bapak for his time and presented him with a gift in appreciation. Afterward, they spoke with Bapak in more detail on several aspects of the movements and dance, and Bapak’s own experiences traveling throughout Indonesia and Southeast Asia. ISF New Haven would like to extend special thanks to the Consulate of the Republic of Indonesia in New York, who are always seeking out opportunities to share the beauty and diversity of Indonesian culture. KJRI lent several dance sarongs for the dancers to wear, and sent other cultural items for display and to be given as gifts to the workshop participants.
The Phoenix Dance Troupe is the premiere Asian Dance group on campus at Yale, dedicated to cultural dance from throughout Asia, both traditional and contemporary. The group is entirely student-run, and presents performances every year.
