Performer heads home from inspirational Solo

Australian choreographer and performer Ade Suharto is heading home to Adelaide after her 10-week Asialink residency at Mugi Dance in Solo.

During her residency, supported by the Australia Indonesia Institute (AII) and Arts SA, Ade had the opportunity to work with renowned choreographer Mugiyono Kasido.

“I feel absolutely privileged to have been granted the time and space to meet, exchange and dance together with Mugiyono. He has been the most fitting artist to help reflect on my own solo practice,” Ade said. Together, Ade and Mugiyono explored the music of Claude Debussy and Javanese gamelan to re-imagine a new space where the two forms of music meet for dance performance.

Ade also had the opportunity to collaborate with composer and vocalist Peni Candra Rini on a dance and music project called Ontosoroh which is inspired by Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s This Earth of Mankind. The pair worked together almost every day to complete the first stage of the work’s development.

“We’ve been working with three highly spirited Solo-based musicians Plenthe, Muhammad Prishna Bashori Musthofa and Iswanto. The support of the AII and Arts SA has been crucial at this early stage. I’ll seek further funding to finish the work and then seek performance invitations locally and overseas. We hope to premiere the work in 2013. That’s the plan!”

While in Indonesia, Ade took dance classes with a number of different teachers specialising in Topeng Klana from Surakarta, the lengger dance from Banyumas and the gandrung dance from Banyuwangi. She also had the opportunity to take part in a few lessons at Mangkunegaran Palace.

“I will keep rehearsing these dances while I’m in Australia. I hope soon to teach them to my students so they can be seen and appreciated by more people,” Ade said.

On her return to Adelaide, Ade will begin work on INDOfest 2013 as the director of the 6th annual festival of Indonesian arts, food and culture. During her time in Solo, Ade has meet with a number of artists and artistic groups to discuss ideas for the festival into the future.

“Fingers crossed we can make it happen! And better still to develop an access point for the Adelaide community to participate, learn and perform alongside these talented Indonesians,” Ade said.

Media Enquiries:
Vicki Miller, First Secretary (Cultural) tel. (021) 2550 5260 mob. 0811 959 0304
Ade Suharto speaks Indonesian and can be contacted on 0812 8652 2043 until 29 August.