Lately I have been buried in a lot of activities and forgot to write on my blog. I even forgot to have joyful post of what I have learned this far in being an adult.

I do not consider myself mature. I do no consider myself wise but I do know that I’ve known what define me as a woman. So I took so many performing art classes in a week. From acting, contemporary dance, Javanesse dance and Waranggono (Javanesse singing specialty). Sometimes I take the Indonesian Martial Arts called Silat.

ACTING

My interest on acting has always been there since I was a kid. But I was ashamed of it. I never took pride on my fondness of how the actors and actresses I see act in the films I have watched. Most people think being an actor,it’s about the money and the fame but then when I got into acting school which is Sakti Actor Studio by Eka Dimitri Sitorus I realized that acting was a lot more than what you see on screen. Acting is about understanding life.

I have always wanted to do acting and I was very much encouraged by people who I have talked to in the past year and people who have inspired me. So I am acting for me, not for anyone but for me.

It’s hard to explain what does it mean about understanding life, but it is what it is. The method that Bang Eka (Bang: an Indonesian term to define someone’s seniority) used was more about getting in touch with yourself. He always reminded about being honest, sincere and simple in acting. So the feelings that is expressed outside is real, it comes from within and it is not being exaggerated. He would let us think through the exercises and the script he had given the class this far.

Through his way I learned a lot about Indonesian Film Industry and the Hollywood Film Industry. Indonesia’s film had become an industry of easy peasy cheap fast made fame to be made. And I really dislike it.  And to this day, I feel lucky to have study acting from Bang Eka. Now I am attending his elementary class every Monday and Wednesday from 7.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m.

Bang Eka had made the acting class so much interesting and so much fun. And that is why I fall for it. I never doubt his judgement or whatever he does for the sake of the class cause I believe in him so much that he can get in touch within everyone’s soul. He has coached a lot of actors and actresses in Indonesia and one of my favorite was Arifin Putra who starred in The Raid 2.

I also learned a lot about my life and the happenings around me and why do humans especially me react in a certain way. It is also a unique way of how Bang Eka made us all think while we are in the class. He is such a great acting teacher or may be the right thing to say, a great life teacher.

CONTEMPORARY DANCE

I have always love dancing, but I was not sure of which genre I would fit in. I did not like hip hop or ballet or modern dance but I was always able to listen to the music and my body, while listening I am able to synchronized both. I was also bad at memorizing a choreograph so I needed to practice my brain.

It took me time to find the right place to study contemporary dance, but I finally found a place that fits, Gigi Art of Dance. Gigi Art of Dance is a dance school in Radio Dalam. When I first attended the trial classes, I felt  lot of positivism and that the way that Miss Gigi teaches her students are also fun.

Miss Gigi made a good vibe between her students and it was fun to have the chance to free yourself while in the class. She had a beautiful way of teaching the dances and making it possible for everyone to dance. The Contemporary Dance she teaches was about freeing yourself with the music that you hear.

Attending the dance class had mad feel sexy and happy. And it really relieve the stress of dental school. I am so glad I took the class.

JAVANESE DANCE

Javanese dance is a pretty hard dancing cause techniques are a lot of work. When I was a child I did not want to study anything that comes from my culture, but then I realize why am I trying so hard looking for approval when I should have looked for myself. I have always been in unstable for some times, actually since I was a child. I try to avoid medication not that I have a history with drug abuse but I prefer not to use any chemicals to sooth my mind if I could do it with other activities that will bring a more positive impact.

Javanese had a very slow tempo in dancing. The moves requires me to move still and not be hurried. With the slow music I am also required to focus with the moves. It is a lot different than contemporary dance which requires you to move with the music, but Javanese dance had a lot of meaning in dancing.

Currently I am attending the Saturday Morning Class of Javanese Traditional Dance in Sanggar Jawa Jawi Java. My teacher is Bu Nuk (Bu means Mrs.). She had set her heart in teaching Javanese Dance. At first I suck at it but every time I attend the class she corrects my techniques.

WARANGGONO – JAVANESE SINGING SPECIALTY

Being a Javanese there are a lot of rules that makes you a person worth respecting. Being a Javanese teaches a lot of philosophy of being a human being. I took my chances again in studying to be a Waranggono or a Javanese Singer or mostly known as sinden and the music genre is mostly associated with Gamelan.

Not many people enjoy this genre of music. Gamelan is the traditional music of Javanese and it is not easy to study this type of music. Just like the orchestra, gamelan consist of many kinds of Javanese traditional music instruments. One set of Gamelan is very expensive indeed. The notes used are also different. The rhythm is also a very unique. In the music itself, there are many kinds of “saying” that has to be sing within the song. And understanding when is the right time do we have to sing it is pretty hard.

There are a lot of terms itself that is new to me. And I had to memorize it though I have learned a bit about the Javanese language but it’s different. The Javanese language which is used is the old Javanese language. To me it is a wonderful experience to treasure something that old. The words and he sayings and the songs are from the ancestors and it is based on the daily lives.

And apart of all I am proud to say that my teacher who teaches me to be a waranggano is called Pak Daryono Rasban (pak means Mr). He teaches the values of being a Javanese and I adore that very much.

I am having a great wonderful time studying the art that comes from my culture and the things I learned this far made me possible to define who I am as a person.

To me art is just not an art but it is a process, a journey to define yourself to reach that inner peace where you don’t need people’s approval to accept who you are but you to eventually accept life and not take it for granted.