Dance from Indonesia: Classical and Modern

Watch as master Javanese dancers Urip Sri Maeny and Pamardi Tjiptopradonggo perform pieces from the classical court tradition of central Java, as well as a new work reflecting modern dance innovations in Indonesia. They’re accompanied by a gamelan ensemble led by Sumarsam, one of the world’s leading authorities on Indonesian music.

Video Poster

Dance from Indonesia: Classical and Modern | View on YouTube

Performing Indonesia

The National Museum of Asian Art has been home to three Performing Indonesia festivals. Listen and learn through the online publication and the music podcasts below.

Traditional Indonesian performers dressed in orange, playing instruments

Freer Occasional Paper: Performing Indonesia

Sixteen specialists in Indonesian performing arts explore traditional genres of music, dance, and theater, their transmission to younger generations, and their spread and impact around the world. They utilize both frames (contexts) and flows (ecologies) to examine traditions within communities and beyond through the globalization of knowledge and aesthetics. Questions of sustainability are addressed for many traditions challenged by urbanization and the loss of contexts.

Online Publication