Suara Dance X Langen Suka

Two masked dancers pose, on the left the dancer wears an Indonesian red mask, with white popping eyes and a fierce expression, on the right the dancer wears a white mask with a peaceful expression and cat eye style black eyeliner Image supplied by Suara Dance

Suara Dance X Langen Suka
Saturday 30 November
Leichhardt Town Hall

Suara Dance X Langen Suka was a collaborative concert event that brought together two prominent Indonesian arts groups in Sydney: Suara Dance, a Marrickville-based company specialising in traditional and contemporary Indonesian dance and music, and Langen Suka Gamelan Music Inc., an association dedicated to traditional Javanese gamelan. The event featured an evening performance showcasing repertoire from both groups, along with new collaborative works that combined live dance and gamelan. Prior to the concert, a children’s Indonesian arts and crafts workshop engaged younger audiences. The performance was the outcome of an 8-week rehearsal program that fostered creative collaboration between dancers and musicians. More than 25 artists were involved with the performance with 30-50% Inner West residents and an audience attendance of 400 people. 70 - 90% of artists identified as culturally diverse.

Suara Dance @suaraindonesiadance

Participating artists

Langen Suka Alfira O'Sullivan

Murtala Poppin Jack

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By including our collaborative project in the Cultural Connections program, we were able to bring together two large community groups and invite wider Australian audiences to experience both traditional and contemporary Indonesian repertoire onto the stage. The inclusion of live gamelan music, performed alongside children from the Indonesian community, was a rare and valuable experience - one not easily accessible in Australia. This kind of visibility not only strengthens cultural identity within our community but also enriches the broader arts landscape of the Inner West through innovative and culturally rooted artistic expression. Collaborating with Langen Suka Gamelan meant Suara Dance had this opportunity to practice and perform with a live gamelan set which is so rare.