[Unpad.ac.id, 1/05/2013] Unpad Student Unit, Sundanese Art Association (LISES) mesmerized the audience at the Indonesian Festival 2013 held in Gedung Dewan Sulatan Iskandar, University Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Johor Bahru on Friday (26/04).
Upon the request of Indonesian Student Society (PPI) in UTM and Consulate General Republic of Indonesia (KJRI) in Johor, Malaysia, team LISES performed before more than 1000 spectators, among whom were the Indonesian Ambassador for Malaysia, Herman Prayitno, Consulate General Republic of Indonesia, Jonas L. Tobing, Rector of UTM, Prof. Zaini bin Ujang, President of Indonesian Student Society, Muzakkir, and UTM faculties and almost all 440 Indonesian students.
The event was not only used as a medium for gathering, but also played a role to nourish the pride of national artistic wealth, in addition to introducing Indonesia’s tradition to international audience, particularly UTM student, many of whose students are international students.
Bringing a narrative theme of Indonesian coasts, their communities and beauty, the performance lasted more than two hours, presenting dances from Indonesian Art Teams of PPI UTM, LISES Unpad, B’Delau, and Indonesian University of Education (UPI) Bandung. Team LISES themselves performed four differing Sundanese dances, namely Gawil Naik Ponggawa, as an opening, Gandes, Ronggeng Panggung, and Katumbiri, in which performers actively interacted in between sessions. Adding to its liveliness, fashion show batik from B’Deliau and creative dances from PPI-UTM as well as Merak dance from UPI Bandung were also presented on stage.
Ivan Mokarya Kasim, Universitas Andalas’ graduate who chairs Art Performance and Dance Center UTM, now pursuing master’s degree in UTM, showed great appreciation for LISES’s performance. “They’re awesome, organized, professional, attractive, and very entertaining. We really hope that LISES would be able to take part in our future events,” said he.
Similar response was given by the director of Alumni and Student Development Center of Unpad, Heryawan Kemal Mustafa. He felt very proud of the achievement and positive response that the audience in the event had shown. “Their excellent performance has made them invited for next month’s performance in an event that KJRI and UTM are still organizing,” said Mustafa.
Indonesian Festival 2013 lasted for three days, starting from Wednesday (24/04) to Friday (26/04). In addition to art performance, food festival, batik bazaar, and customary traditions of Indonesia were also held. “Indonesian Festival is the event that we always look forward to. I think it has now moved from student level, to world class level. It is very selling. LISES Unpad is awesome,” said Mahdi, Alice, Talal, and Wei, UTM students participating in the event.
Weny Widyowati/ am*
