‘Gazing the other’

Eko Supriyanto began his training with the Javanese court dances and the Indonesian martial art Pencak Silat when he was barely seven years old. Nowadays he is the leading Indonesian dancer and choreographer of his generation.
Balabala is based on the philosophy of the nine different strands of Pencak Silat, and the diverse roles of women in Indonesia. The five young dancers from Jailolo give a voice to their remote society in East Indonesia. With their slow, rhythmic patterns of movement they claim their own space; a space for their individuality in the tumult of obligations. Culture and gender hierarchies cannot withstand the power of these young women.

With Balabala, Eko Supriyanto brings a powerful new voice to contemporary dance.