A dance can be a sacred ritual or a simple
movement celebrating life’s pleasures. It’s also an illustration of how
humans can become one with nature.
The 5th Asian and Oceanian Children’s
International Folklore Festival 2008, which was held at venues around
Jakarta from July 4-11, featured groups from Poland, Malaysia, the
Philippines, South Korea, Serbia, Taiwan and Indonesia.
The participants performed distinctive dances unique to their home countries.
They performed commonplace children’s dances
rather than ceremonial ones, using items found in nature, such as
sticks, bamboo and flowers, to express themselves.
These children are spending their summer
entertaining and educating people around the world with their dances,
adding meaning to a time of the year that for most children means
little more than idle fun.
— Text by Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo
— Photos by R. Berto Wedhatama
