Kamis, 15 September 2011
Kencana Pradipa UI Dance Group Enchanted Americans in Houston
Thirty students of the Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Indonesia (UI) who were joined in Indonesian traditional dance and music group, “Kencana Pradipa” enchanted Americans in Houston, Texas for four days in a row, from 20 July 2011. They cam to celebrate the 66th commemoration of Indonesia’s Independence held in Indonesian Consulate General in Houston.
Kencana Pradipa’s first performance was in Wisma Indonesia on 20 July 2011, in front of American business owners and the local government of Houston who attended Business Forum organized by the Indonesian Consulate General to Houston. They received a warm appreciation from the audience.
Their second performance on 21 July 2011 was special for Indonesians in Houston and around. More than 200 people watched them in the auditorium of Indonesian Consulate General building. It was clear that the Indonesians watching missed Indonesian traditional art. It had been long since they last seen a large scale Indonesian traditional art performance.
Looking at the enthusiasm of the audience, after the performance, the Indonesian Consul General to Houston, Al Busyra Basnur, spontaneously hosted an interactive session between the audience and the performers for about 30 minutes. Appreciation and admiration were addressed to the students of UI.
Indonesians in Houston were very happy to watch the dance performance and proud to have Indonesian culture conserved and promoted by the young generation of Indonesia overseas.
Indonesian public figures who had lived for decades in the US kept on giving appreciation not only to the dance group, but also the Indonesian Consulate General to Houston who had provided a large scale entertainment for Indonesians.
The third performance was held in Hotel Hyatt Regency on 22 July 2011. The performance was special for the consular corps, local government officials, partners, and Friends of Indonesia. The event was preceded by dinner with invitees attending the event, which numbers were apparently higher than expected, which was 125. The consulate general had to add the seats to 200 at the end.
Kencana Pradipa again received a warm appreciation. They even received standing ovation from the audience. The audience didn’t even leave the room after the art and culture performance had ended, but rather, they flocked and had dialogues with the dancers and musicians.
On 23 July 2011, Kencana Pradipa of Universitas Indonesia, entertained Indonesian people during the Bazaar and Celebration Night which was held on the yard of the Indonesian Consulate General building. The event was attended by more than 2,500 Indonesians from Houston and around, and other cities in Texas such as Dallas, Austin and San Antonio.
Kencana Pradipa performed dances and music they made: Yuspan Dance from Papua; Piring Dance from Randai, West Sumatra; Tor Tor dance from North Sumatra; Jaipong Dance from West Java; Giring-giring Bambu Dance from Kalimantan; and Belibis Dance from Bali.
Indonesian Consul General, Al Busyra Basnur, in his remarks during the event stated that the Indonesian art and culture events in the USA would strengthen friendship, improve understanding and also the structure of Indonesia-USA bilateral relations which had always been well-developed.
“The Indonesian art and culture performance has made Indonesians and Americans in Houston gather for one to two hours in one place, smiling, giving long ovations. They forgot, for a while, whether they’re men, women, children, teenagers, adults, parents, or grandparents. What is clear is that Indonesia becomes the focus,” added Al Busyra Basnur. (Source: the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Houston)
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