Paradise a Woman…? / Bundo Kanduang
Sep 2007 – Indonesia Thailand Malaysia Singapore Netherlands Denmark Germany
Sponsors
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About The Show
Gerard Mosterd & Boi Sakti
Is the extraordinary result of a collaboration between the Dutch-Indonesian theatre maker Gerard Mosterd and the world renowned Sumatran, Bessie Award winning, choreographer Boi G Sakti. Schooled in European, modern and academic dance Mosterd searches in his movement vocabulary for ways to free himself from the male structured forms through which he has built up his international career as a professional dancer.
Mosterd makes productions wherein he integrates autobiographical (Indo-European), literary and contemporary themes. Sakti’s work is a continuation of the dance art of his late mother, the much talked about choreographer Suid Gumarang. Sakti develops very particular modern dance-theatre from themes which are deeply rooted in the matriarchal Minangkabau community (a region of West Sumatra). Using these themes he references current subject matters while his movement idiom comes forth from an emotional reverence for nature.
International Meeting
Acontinuation of the reputation which Mosterd has built up during the last five years in Indonesia with productions such as Luminescent Twilight (2002) and Kamu/Jij (2005) resulted in a meeting between the Dutch-Indonesian dance of Mosterd and the silat based movement material of Boi. The production was created in Indonesia and toured through Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand before it comes to the Netherlands and few other European countries.
Musical Composition
Solidarity and isolation, interpersonal relationships, the manifestation of the individual in the surrounding world, are dealt with in a production wherein contemporary dance weaves itself in equal measure both naturally as well as surprisingly with the music of Leon DeLorenzo and Minang composer Dony Irawan. These acoustic, contemporary compositions using traditional rhythmic patterns from matriarchal West Sumatra are performed on self-made, original instruments and combined with the equally self-made and original electronic sounds of the composer Paul Goodman.
Dynamic Dance Spectacle
An international group, consisting of four Indonesian, a Japanese and two Netherlands based dancers perform the patterns of Sakti and Mosterd which results in a dynamic dance spectacle. Sakti takes as his starting point an old Minangkabau myth [Bundo Kanduang], focusing upon the role of women in today’s world.
Paradise a Woman MULTIMEDIA
An important role is set aside for the work of the multimedia artist Wilhelmusvlug. We see imagination quickening video projections wherein the dancers sometimes function as living film screens.
Workshop
Preceding the performances in each city workshops (during the day) will be offered wherein ‘Minang silek’, under the guidance of experts will be combined with contemporary dance.
1st of September up to Including December 2007
Indonesian Première : Sat, 01 Sep | Gedung Kesenian Jakarta, Jakarta
Dutch Première : Wed,10 Oct | Theatre De Lieve Vrouw, Amersfoort
This production is realized with the support of: Fonds voor Amateur en Podiumkunsten Nederland, HIVOS-NCDO Cultuurfonds, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, KF Heinfonds, Japan Foundation Jakarta, Royal Dutch embassies in Jakarta, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, Provincie Utrecht, Gemeente Amersfoort, Gemeente Alphen aan den Rijn, Theater de Lieve Vrouw Amersfoort, Theater Castellum Alphen a/d Rijn, NUS Singapore, KLPAC, Patravadi Theatre Bangkok.
Biographies
GERARD MOSTERD [ choreographer ]
Dutch-Indonesian born Gerard Mosterd started his career at an early age studying ballet, contemporary, folk dance and music at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. He performed worldwide under longterm contracts with companies such as London Festival Ballet, Basel Ballet, Royal Ballet of Flanders, Concordanse Paris and Hwa Kang Taipei. During this period, he worked with more than 60 notable choreographers around the world, among them: Lindsay Kemp, Christopher Bruce, Siobhan Davies, Mats Ek, Maurice Bejart, John Neumeier and Michael Clark.
Choreographing now for almost ten years, Gerard conceptually explores in his theatre works the pros and cons he has encountered in his cross-cultural upbringing. As a third generation Eurasian, he researches the complex integration process of the East Indian immigrant community in Dutch society by using performing arts as a medium.
Touring his performances regularly throughout the Netherlands and Indonesia since Luminescent Twilight in 2002, he has received recognition as an original and interesting theatre maker.
DAVIT [ dancer – Indonesia ]
Joined Gumarang Sakti Dance Company in 1994 and within a short time became one of the company’s senior dancers and is at present the company’s choreographic assistant, having worked on all GSDC’s productions in Indonesia and abroad. Davit performed his own choreography at the Indonesian Dance Festival 2004, entitled: 15.30, this was dedicated to his late step-mother, Gusmiati Suid (founder of Gumarang Sakti Dance Co).
VERAWATY [ dancer – Indonesia ]
Graduated from Institut Kesenian Jakarta (Jakarta Institute of Arts), having had various experience in working as a dancer with numerous Indonesian Choreographers. In 2001 she joined Gumarang Sakti Dance Co and participated in it’s Indonesian productions and abroad such as In Transit in Berlin- Germany, KIT Festival in Copenhagen-Denmark, Indonesian Rainbow in Singapore and Indonesian Arts Summit Festival.
LEONOR CARNEIRO [ dancer – Portugal ]
Studied modern dance and classical ballet at Ginasiano Escola de Dansa and at the Rotterdam Dance Academy, where she graduated in 2006. Since 2004 she has taken part as a stagier in productions by Dylan Newcomb and Padma Menon, Dance Weeks Rotterdam, Michele Pogliani and Scapino Ballet. PARA dise… a woman? Bundo Kanduang, Jamuan Bisu is her first collaboration with Gerard Mosterd and Boi G Sakti.
MASAKO ONO [ dancer – Japan ]
After graduating from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies in 1996, Masako joined NRITYAGRAM, a dance village in India, and attended intensive Odissi and Yoga classes along with various dance workshops including Chhau, Kalaripayattu, Flamenco, African dance, and Taichi. She has performed and given lecture-demonstrations and workshops in India, Japan, USA, Canada, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka. She has been approved by the Government of India as the official soloist of Odissi dance and she performs worldwide.
DONI IRAWAN [ music ]
Donny has worked intensively in a variety of fields: he has written for theatre groups such as Teater Koma, worked with dance groups and choreographers including Boi Sakti, written for film, commercials and television and worked with production houses. He studied music at IKJ (Jakarta Institute for the Arts) majoring in flute and with a minor in composition. Donny has studied composition with Selamet Abdul Syukur, Arjun and other Indonesian composers.
IGNATIUS SUGIARTO [ lighting designer ]
Lighting designer. Permanently work as an artist for Teater Garasi Yogyakarta, also as a freelance artist work with many artists in Indonesia. Several times work with foreign artists, doing lighting works in Indonesia and in abroad. Studied with Roedjito, Sonny Sumarsono and Iskandar K Loedin, followed a lighting workshop held by Kelola Foundation facilitated by Mrs. Jennifer Tipton and Mr. Clifton Taylor. Learn Butoh way on lighting expression from Japanese artist, Mr. Soga Masaro, by working on Butoh Performances in Tokyo, also several works in Indonesia. Selection of works : “Waktu Batu” Serial theatre productions by Teater Garasi Yogyakarta, since 2001 until 2006, performed in many cities: Jakarta (Art Summit, 2004), Jogjakarta, Lampung Padangpanjang-Sumatera Tour, Berlin (Intransit Festival, 2005), Tokyo (2006).
BOI G SAKTI [ choreographer ]
Son of the late choreographer and celebrated artist Gusmiati Suid was born in Batusangkar, West Sumatra. He started dance training as a teenager and completed his studies at IKJ, Jakarta. At an early age his choreographic skills were noted and rewarded with numerous prestigious awards such as a Bessie Award in New York in 1991. In 2000, Boi was awarded a grant from the Asian Cultural Council in New York to participate in the International Choreographers Program at the American Dance Festival and to study choreography and lighting design.
After his mother’s passing away in September 2001, Boi became artistic director of Gumarang Sakti Dance Company, a world acclaimed dance group. As a choreographer, artistic director, lighting and set designer with Gumarang Sakti Dance Company, Boi has worked with many dance and theatre companies including the Singapore Dance Theatre, Theatre Works (S), Philippines Ballet, Basel Dance Theatre and American Dance Festival. From 1997 to 1999, Boi choreographed for Lear, a collaborative performance by Asian artists organized by the Japan Foundation Asia Centre. This critically acclaimed production toured regional capitals in Asia, Australia and Europe. Boi is a member of the Artistic Board of Indonesian Art Summit VI, and of the Indonesian Dance Festival VII as well as a director of the Jakarta Arts Council dance committee.
MISLAM [ dancer – Indonesia ]
Graduated from Institut Seni Indonesia (ISI) Yogyakarta and started his career as a professional dancer in Jakarta in 1997. Joined Gumarang Sakti Dance Co in 2002 and has worked with several choreographers and dance companies such as Ian Pierson, Bimo Wiwohatmo, Kwok Hiu Wah (Taipeh), Namarina Ballet, Kreativitet Indonesia, Hartati etc.
EKA OKTAVIANA UNDRY [ dancer – Indonesia ]
Studied at Institute Kesenian Jakarta (Jakarta Institute of Arts) and joined with Gumarang Sakti Dance Company in 2003 in all their productions since then. Next to Gumarang Sakti she danced for numerous Indonesian choreographers such as Prof. Sardono W. Kusumo, Deddy Luthan and Benny Krisnawardi.
AMARANTA VELARDE [ dancer – Spain ]
Born in Spain in 1983 where she studied classical and modern dance since the age of 8. In 2001 she moved to the Netherlands where she completed her studies at the Rotterdam Dance Academy. As a stagier, she joined DanceWorks Dance Company and as a freelance dancer she has worked with choreographers such as Bruno Listopad, Steenks and Martino Mueller.
WILHELMUSVLUG [ stage design and video ]
After studying Audiovisual Design at the Gerrit Rietveld Art Academy in the eighties, this Amsterdam-based artist expanded his field of work to performances, painting, sculpting, stage design, restaurant design, and video art. In the last couple of years, the collaboration between Gerard Mosterd and Wilhelmusvlug has expanded from making stage designs, to creating videos as a part of Gerard’s pieces as well as being a part of his artistic team.
Website: www.wilhelmusvlug.nl
LEON DeLORENZO [ music ]
Born in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1967 and currently living in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Leon has played and studied a variety of musical genres including Western classical, European folk and Central Javanese gamelan. Since 1996 he began to be involved in composing and performing music for theatre, and in 1998 entered the School of Music, Victoria University, Wellington, studying composition with Jack Body, John Young, Ross Harris and John Psathas. Working in the field of electronic music opened his ears to a new world of sound possibilities and he now composes exclusively with computers using natural sound recordings as source material. Leon enjoys especially collaborating in contemporary inter-media and cross-cultural projects, aiming to unite visual and sonic art in new and interesting ways.
SONNY SUMARSONO [ scenographer ]
After graduating from the LPKJ theatre academy, he became the scenographer assistant to Roejito, a famous scenographer. He was in charge of artistic setting and lighting design for theatre and dance performances. With sponsorship from the Goethe Institut and was able to attend an artistic setting workshop by Siegfried Paul, a famous scenographer from Germany. He has worked with Gumarang Sakti Dance Company since the 80’s.
