Indonesian Dance Festival Explores Women’s Creative Journeys on Final Day

JAKARTA, JakartaWeekly.com—The 2026 Indonesian Dance Festival (IDF) enters its final day on Sunday, November 1, 2026. One of the programs featured on the final day of the 18th edition of the contemporary dance festival is a discussion titled Berkarya dengan Irama Sendiri (Creating at One’s Own Rhythm), bringing together three choreographers from different generations and artistic backgrounds.

The discussion features Hartati, Densiel Lebang, and Nanako Matsumoto of Team Chiipro as speakers, with Keni Soeriaatmadja serving as moderator. It will take place at Selasar Nashar, Raden Saleh Pavilion, Ali Sadikin Building, Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta.

The discussion explores how women build and sustain their artistic practices amid the changing circumstances of life. Topics include the relationship between life journeys and the creative process, including physical changes, accumulated experiences, and evolving responsibilities and relationships.

It also addresses various factors that shape an artist’s practice, ranging from work and financial circumstances to family, caregiving, mobility, time, and energy. For women artists, these negotiations can also be influenced by gender-related expectations and conditions.

In discussing the sustainability of artistic practices, rhythm serves as a central perspective. The creative process does not always proceed at the same intensity. There are times to create, take a break, begin again, adjust the pace, or find different ways of working.

Through the diverse experiences of the three choreographers, the discussion examines how artistic practices, the body, and life continue to shape one another over time.

The 2026 Indonesian Dance Festival runs from October 29 to November 1. Its 18th edition also marks 34 years since the festival was first held in 1992.

Under the theme Underlying Drift, the festival creates a meeting space for artists, ideas, and generations within the contemporary dance ecosystem. In addition to performances under the BENTANG program, the festival features KAMPANA, discussions, workshops, and other platforms for exchange.

Indonesian Dance Festival Director Ratri Anindyajati said the sustainability of a festival is measured not only by the staging of an event but also by the continued creation of spaces where artists can work, experiment, and grow.

“However, I have come to better understand the importance of maintaining spaces where artists can continue creating, where different works can meet audiences, and where we can experience something we may never have encountered before,” Ratri said.

At the festival’s opening ceremony on Thursday, October 29, Indonesian Dance Festival presented its Lifetime Achievement Award to Indonesian dance maestro Retno Maruti in recognition of her dedication and contributions to the development of traditional dance.

The opening night also featured Waktu Paruh, a work by Indonesian choreographer Hartati, as part of the BENTANG program. The piece explores the body, space, identity, and tradition.

In a written address, Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung said contemporary dance has the potential to strengthen the city’s tourism appeal, expand opportunities for residents to develop their potential, and create economic opportunities for creative industry practitioners.

“This effort is in line with Jakarta’s vision of becoming a global city that is not only economically competitive but also grows through creativity, culture, and collaboration with various communities from around the world,” Pramono said.

Further information on the schedule and programs of the 2026 Indonesian Dance Festival is available on its official website, indonesiandancefestival.id, and Instagram account, @indonesiandancefestival.

Indonesian Dance Festival is an international contemporary dance festival first held in Jakarta in 1992. Operating under the Loka Tari Nusantara Foundation (YLTN), the festival brings together artists and works from Indonesia and various other countries.