Balabala

In Balabala five young female dancers from Eastern Indonesia lend a voice to the vulnerable female part of their community. With no background in dance whatsoever, these 17 and 18-year olds create an image of strong women, not through protest or resistance, but through dancing. They are proof that there is room for the individual and that it is possible to find your own way in a society in which tradition is cherished and leading. With his choreography of slow, rhythmic movement patterns that incorporate elements from battle dances and martial arts – and which would normally be only for men – Supriyanto is rewriting the cultural rulebook and rearranging traditional male/female relations. With Balabala, Supriyanto, who used to be a dancer with Madonna, has delivered a soft, tender and moving proof of strength.