FUSE#2
FUSE is a bi-annual publication that documents the projects at Dance Nucleus . FUSE is a bi-annual publication that documents the projects at Dance Nucleus .
Element# 2 BAHASA KOREOGRAFI (PRACTICE OF) SILAT DUDUK: INVESTIGATING MALAY(NESS) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbqvm1nvJD4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V21eCFIvr-w The term silat duduk (literally means ‘sitting silat’, silat as in pencak-silat, the martial arts practice shared in the transnational Malay world), was introduced by Benny Krishnawardi whom I invited to give a workshop on the basic movement vocabulary of Gumarang Sakti. The latter was formed by the late Minangkabau (West Sumatra) choreographer, Gusmiati Suid (1942-2001). I invited Benny to join in for Dance Nucleus’ ELEMENT#2 residency as a way to open up the conversation on Malay identity, or even the unmalayness, in relation to the dancing body. We also looked at the artistic lineage as well as the different Malay identities as rooted in three different stately contexts: of Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. by Helly Minarti According to Benny, silat duduk refers to the informal session where a silat master invites his student(s) to discuss the philosophy of silat and of life, taking place in sasaran silat - or an open field in the nagari (customary Minangkabau village unit) where young men traditionally train in silat or randai (traditional theatre). Usually, such intimate conversations are reserved for advanced students in pencak silat. Within Minangkabau context, silat duduk is where the discussion of silat philosophy, customs that include life ethics, are intertwined. This silat duduk has become a natural model for the forum or choreographic platform of ELEMENT#2: Bahasa Koreografi. When Daniel Kok first expressed his intention to do this ELEMENT#2 by focusing on issues around the identities and practices of Malay dance as a transnational practice in Southeast Asia (mainly Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia), I felt compelled to reconsider the obligation of bringing up cultural identification in contemporary dance practice. In the beginning, Daniel indeed admitted to being sceptical about it (".. I am a contemporary choreographer. Not a Singaporean or Chinese contemporary choreographer"). This view apparently changed when he watched the Joget programme organised by Esplanade Theatres on the Bay. Witnessing the heated debate triggered by some experimental works presented in that platform, especially the reaction of the elders of Singapore's Malay dance scene over certain works, Daniel sensed the urgency to discuss this topic of Malay dance being the source for experimental dance for its practitioners in Singapore. When I was invited to be a 'mentor' (a descriptor that https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDKVycVfouQ I resisted in the beginning since I think it hints at a hierarchy in knowledge), I immediately inquired the involvement of Alfian Sa'at to take up a role of 'provocateur' in the forum that was given quite an apt title by Daniel (who doesn't speak any Malay): Bahasa Koreografi. Alfian's presence was instrumental as an interlocutor, especially given his frequent and animated discussions on the problems surrounding Malayness on Facebook, which I have been following rather religiously. Towards the end of 2016, when the age-old issue of Indonesian identities was reignited in the political scene in Jakarta (pribumi, or indigenous versus the non-indigenous), the latter category here automatically referred to Indonesian citizens of Chinese descent). I had already proposed to work with Alfian on an artistic project, although we never found the chance to get to it due our busy schedules. 23 24
Element#2 BAHASA KOREOGRAFI Malay, Malay Dance: Three Dimensions The four young choreographers participating in ELEMENT#2 follow the complexity of interpreting Malay(ness) pertaining to their respective cultural contexts in Southeast Asia: Soultari Amin Farid and Norhaizad Adam are from Singapore, Mohd Fauzi bin Aminudin from Kuala Lumpur and Ayu Permata Sari yang asal Lampung tetapi menetap di Yogyakarta selama tujuh tahun terakhir. Their various constellations can be described as such: (PRACTICE OF) SILAT DUDUK: INVESTIGATING MALAY(NESS) In Singapore, the Malays are a minority race within the population (vis-a-vis those of Chinese descent who make up the majority), whilst it is the reverse in Malaysia (the Malays as majority, the Chinese and Indians are minorities). In these two countries, the word ‘Malay’ refers to racial identity - with all the consequences of the discriminatory policies from the state embedded with it. Meanwhile in Indonesia, ‘Malay’ simply refers to one of its hundreds of ethnicities - not at all a racial identity, although indeed, it is categorised within the problematic category - the pribumi. by Helly Minarti https://www.amazon.com/Flow-Psychology-Experience-Perennial-Classics/dp/0061339202 In geographical terms, ‘Malay’ in Indonesia refers to the provinces of Riau, Riau islands and North Sumatra (the Deli part, not other parts inhabited by the Batak), as the main original locations for the Malays. But as researched by many scholars (among them Julianti Parani), the Malays in Indonesia is also spread out in other islands, such as coastal Kalimatan, Sulawesi, and up to the Molucca archipelago. However, although the Malays constitutes a minority group, it has a unique place within the Indonesia's cultural landscape, since the Malay language (Bahasa Melayu) is the basis for Bahasa Indonesia, the national language of Indonesia today. Given that the Javanese (with its varied localities) is the majority group in Indonesia, the adoption of the language of a small minority proved to be a strategy that prevented internal conflict, than if Indonesia had made Javanese, the language of its majority group, the national language instead. In the two-day workshop, Benny used Minangkabau as an example to highlight the cultural differences within the spectrum of Malay groups in Indonesia. (In the context of Minangkabau dance culture, Malay dance is perceived as something imported and was only popular in the big cities back in the 1960s.) Similarly, Alfian’s lecture on Malay Identity provided a historical flash back in Singaporean theatre, citing examples of what was banned, what was perceied as 'kurang ajar' or obnoxious. This flash back triggered a circle discussion after the lecture. We discussed issues surrounding the tensions shaping Malay identity in the arts in Singapore, and how to articulate effective strategies in navigating politics embedded in the practice of Malay dance. The following are the notes from our meetings, conversations and a series of anecdotes that came up. They help give colour to what I have discussed above: Artistic Lineage: The Bodily Archive and Aspiration to Discover the Contemporary Body Tracing one's personal trajectory in a learning process begins with an awareness and the acceptance that the dancing body that one inhabits is what one inherits from a certain artistic lineage, transmitted through a mode of modernity. In Singapore, this transmission can be community-based (sanggar in Bahasa Indonesia) or other educational spaces, such as extra-curricular activities in schools or the university in the case of Singapore. 25 26
- Page 1 and 2: FUSE # 2 Produced by Dance Nucleus
- Page 3 and 4: Foreword Developments at Dance Nucl
- Page 5 and 6: As BAHASA KOREOGRAFI was conducted
- Page 7 and 8: Element#2 BAHASA KOREOGRAFI OVERvie
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- Page 19 and 20: Element#2 BAHASA KOREOGRAFI Proses
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- Page 23 and 24: Element#2 BAHASA KOREOGRAFI The Pro
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- Page 43 and 44: Element# 2 BAHASA KOREOGRAFI Table
- Page 45 and 46: SCOPE is Dance Nucleus’ open plat
- Page 47 and 48: SCOPE#3 About ‘Unison’ by Ming
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- Page 57 and 58: SCOPE #3 Notes on ‘There is Spefi
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- Page 61: About Dance Nucleus Dance Nucleus i
Element# 2<br />
BAHASA KOREOGRAFI<br />
(PRACTICE OF) SILAT DUDUK:<br />
INVESTIGATING<br />
MALAY(NESS)<br />
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbqvm1nvJD4<br />
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V21eCFIvr-w<br />
The term silat duduk (literally means ‘sitting silat’, silat as in<br />
pencak-silat, the martial arts practice shared in the<br />
transnational Malay world), was introduced by Benny<br />
Krishnawardi whom I invited to give a workshop on the<br />
basic movement vocabulary of Gumarang Sakti. The latter<br />
was formed by the late Minangkabau (West Sumatra)<br />
choreographer, Gusmiati Suid (1942-2001). I invited Benny<br />
to join in for Dance Nucleus’ ELEMENT#2 residency as a<br />
way to open up the conversation on Malay identity, or even<br />
the unmalayness, in relation to the dancing body. We also<br />
looked at the artistic lineage as well as the different Malay<br />
identities as rooted in three different stately contexts: of<br />
Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.<br />
by Helly Minarti<br />
According to Benny, silat duduk refers to the informal<br />
session where a silat master invites his student(s) to discuss<br />
the philosophy of silat and of life, taking place in sasaran<br />
silat - or an open field in the nagari (customary<br />
Minangkabau village unit) where young men traditionally<br />
train in silat or randai (traditional theatre). Usually, such<br />
intimate conversations are reserved for advanced students<br />
in pencak silat. Within Minangkabau context, silat duduk is<br />
where the discussion of silat philosophy, customs that<br />
include life ethics, are intertwined. This silat duduk has<br />
become a natural model for the forum or choreographic<br />
platform of ELEMENT#2: Bahasa Koreografi.<br />
When Daniel Kok first expressed his intention to do this<br />
ELEMENT#2 by focusing on issues around the identities<br />
and practices of Malay dance as a transnational practice in<br />
Southeast Asia (mainly Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia),<br />
I felt compelled to reconsider the obligation of bringing up<br />
cultural identification in contemporary dance practice. In the<br />
beginning, Daniel indeed admitted to being sceptical about<br />
it (".. I am a contemporary choreographer. Not a Singaporean<br />
or Chinese contemporary choreographer"). This view<br />
apparently changed when he watched the Joget<br />
programme organised by Esplanade Theatres on the Bay.<br />
Witnessing the heated debate triggered by some experimental<br />
works presented in that platform, especially the<br />
reaction of the elders of Singapore's Malay dance scene<br />
over certain works, Daniel sensed the urgency to discuss<br />
this topic of Malay dance being the source for experimental<br />
dance for its practitioners in Singapore.<br />
When I was invited to be a 'mentor' (a descriptor that https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDKVycVfouQ<br />
I resisted in the beginning<br />
since I think it hints at a hierarchy in knowledge), I immediately inquired the involvement<br />
of Alfian Sa'at to take up a role of 'provocateur' in the forum that was given<br />
quite an apt title by Daniel (who doesn't speak any Malay): Bahasa Koreografi.<br />
Alfian's presence was instrumental as an interlocutor, especially given his frequent<br />
and animated discussions on the problems surrounding Malayness on Facebook,<br />
which I have been following rather religiously. Towards the end of 2016, when the<br />
age-old issue of Indonesian identities was reignited in the political scene in Jakarta<br />
(pribumi, or indigenous versus the non-indigenous), the latter category here automatically<br />
referred to Indonesian citizens of Chinese descent). I had already<br />
proposed to work with Alfian on an artistic project, although we never found the<br />
chance to get to it due our busy schedules.<br />
23 24