Kadek Puspasari (41) had almost given up once. An elementary school student scoffed at her messy French. Other students questioned why they needed to learn dancing, arguing that they do not live their lives to dance.
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By Putu Fajar Arcana
·5 minutes read
ARSIP KADEK PUSPASARI
Kadek Puspasari
Kadek Puspasari (41) had almost given up once. An elementary school student scoffed at her messy French. Other students questioned why they needed to learn dancing, arguing that they do not live their lives to dance. As a dancer and choreographer of Javanese and Balinese tradition, Kadek took offense. “But I only cried,” she said.
Kadek remembers what happened in Paris when she was pregnant in 2010. Her husband, Christophe Moure, a French-Javanese man continued to encourage her. He assured her that protest could happen almost at any time, from both parents and children. “If they don’t want to learn to dance, they shouldn’t be forced. In the end, I went with those who wanted to learn,” said Kadek at the end of October 2020 from Paris.
Kadek took jobs as an arts teacher at elementary, middle and high schools in France, not only as a life necessity, but also to introduce Indonesian culture to Europe. “Incidentally, there were opportunities to teach in schools, especially international schools notorious for their naughty children,” she said.
Countries like France, added Kadek, have long included art programs for schools with rebellious children to enhance character building. “You can imagine how we would be ridiculed if we spoke bad French. And these are just children. Well, that’s France,” said the woman who was born in Bali in 1979.
Together with Christophe, Kadek founded the Pantcha Indra Association in 2012, an art studio that teaches Indonesian traditional arts, such as wayang, dance and song.
Before learning Javanese wayang and gamelan, Christophe mastered jazz music on the guitar in France.
Christophe himself is a Javanese wayang puppeteer who had previously studied at the Indonesian Art Institute (ISI) in Surakarta. Before learning Javanese wayang and gamelan, Christophe mastered jazz music on the guitar in France.
Kadek remembers very well that when they founded Pantcha Indra, they often had to move studios and borrow the gamelan from the Indonesian Embassy in Paris. “It was very saddening. The gamelan at the Indonesian Embassy were stored in separate warehouses. We had to clean and patch them up,” Kadek recalls.
Borrowing the gamelans from the Indonesian Embassy did not last long, however, because Christophe and Kadek later got their own gamelan set from Java. Pantcha Indra then obtained a training studio at X-Nanterre Paris University, and Christophe became the director of the gamelan ensemble. Coincidentally, the university also had an ethnomusicology program. “We were able to get a studio for our gamelan and practices,” said Kadek.
ARSIP KADEK PUSPASARI
Kadek Puspasari
At Pantcha Indra, Kadek and Christophe took care of two Javanese gamelan groups and two Balinese gamelan groups. Besides that, the couple continued to actively spread Indonesian traditional music in Paris and its surroundings.
On Thursday (5/11/2020) morning, Kadek and Christophe were busy teaching gamelan and dance to children in an elementary school. “We brought the gamelan set to a studio near the school, because France is currently in a partial lockdown,” Kadek said.
France had imposed its second lockdown since March 2020. However, this time only a partial lockdown was imposed by the government, allowing schools to remain open. Amid the health crisis, Kadek continued to teach in schools around Paris as scheduled.
Dance videos
Furthermore, this ISI Surakarta dance graduate continued to engage in expressive activities within their homes. A week before the first lockdown was imposed by the French government in March, Kadek had exhibited COVID-19-like symptoms. “[I] had a fever and a cold, I thought I should do something for myself,” said Kadek. Because she is a dancer, she chose to dance.
Since the fourth day of the lockdown, Kadek uploaded from her quarantine booth on IG TV @puspari.kadek, which was titled Video 1. Day 4 – Self-quarantine Lockdown 14-3-2020, 21h00. Home dance improvisation.
ARSIP KADEK PUSPASARI
Kadek Puspasari
Since then, every day, she uploaded her dances, sometimes by the window, in the kitchen, in the living room, the study and other corners of her apartment. She did the same when the partial lockdown was implemented from 20 October to December 1, 2020.
“I teach dance to shape children’s character, so I must be able to use it for my own therapy,” said Kadek. Sure enough, without taking any medication, the COVID-19 symptoms began to disappear. “I was sick twice but finally recovered,” she said.
Art for Kadek is not just a skill but a form of good energy and healing that will work when seriously pursued. Many French people now have a better understanding of Indonesia’s position on the world map through the traditional art she and her husband present. Kadek’s students come from a variety of professions, which are completely outside of the arts. Most had never visited Indonesia when they signed up for the classes.
But that is not the main thing. Most importantly, they understood that Indonesia is a country of extraordinary cultural wealth. And this is the initial victory of diplomacy. -- Kadek--
The Javanese and Balinese traditional arts that they studied in France later brought them to Indonesia. “But that is not the main thing. Most importantly, they understood that Indonesia is a country of extraordinary cultural wealth. And this is the initial victory of diplomacy,” said Kadek.
Together with Pantcha Indra, Kadek and Christophe have participated in prestigious events in Europe. They both subtly and tirelessly have become ambassadors for Indonesian culture in mainland Europe. “Being engaged in traditional arts means introducing the character of Indonesians, and we are proud to do it,” said Christophe, who suddenly interrupted our conversation through a video call.
ARSIP KADEK PUSPASARI
Kadek Puspasari
Kadek Puspasari
Born:Bali in 1979, grew up in Solo and currently lives in Paris
Education:
- Postgraduate (S2) ISI Surakarta 2004 – present
- Undergraduate (S1) ISI Surakarta 2004
Works:
- Sanghara Sang (2004)
- Metro B (2014)
- Sidartha Hermann Hesse (2015)
- Empat (2017)
- Panji’s Uchrony (2018)
Achievements:
- Chosen choreographer at the Asian Young Choreographer Project of the World Dance Alliance Taiwan and Singapore
- Chosen choreographer at the Kennedy Center US to study with choreographers Marta Graham, Mercy Cunningham and Broadway City Center
- Cloud Gate Dance Theatre Residency in Indonesia and Taiwan
