Now, let’s talk about the CHI Awards 2023. These awards will honor the people who keep traditional Indonesian dance alive and our amazing dancers. This party was put together by the Al-Maryati/AlMar Foundation and took place at The Habibie & Ainun Library in Kuningan, South Jakarta, on Thursday, September 11, 2023. Now, CHI stands for “The Cultural Heritage of Indonesia.” This is a group whose job it is to protect and grow Indonesia’s rich culture art.
Getting into culture with the CHI Awards
It’s not the first time the AlMar Foundation has done something big. They recently put on the CHI Awards 2018, which honored the art of Nusantara Batik. There will be a lot of awards and recognition this year for people who have kept the flame of traditional dance alive.
As the creator and initiator of CHI, Dewita R. Panjaitan, MARS, DrPH, says, this event is all about honoring the real cultural heroes who have helped keep our heritage alive. The woman who goes by the name Wiwit Ilham says, “They’re the ones who keep our cultural vibrancy alive through the ages, make sure we don’t get lost in other cultures, and pass it on to the next generation.”
As a form of business social responsibility (CSR), the CHI Awards also help spread the word about Indonesian cultural arts. Wiwit Ilham thinks that this small act can do a lot of good for the country.
Let’s Talk About Dance
You want to dance? It’s not just moving a leg; it’s a way to say something. Dance is used for many things, from personal entertainment to part of traditions to an interesting form of performance art.
Who Were Honored
Now, let’s talk about the night’s stars: the artists who won the CHI Awards for dance. They didn’t just appear out of nowhere, so hold on. There were a lot of talks between CHI’s leaders, DR. Dewita R. Panjaitan, MARS, DrPH, Insana Habibie, and Anitasa Richir, as well as advisors Ayu Dyah Pasha, Firman Ichsan, Nani Koespriani, and Musa Widyatmodjo, and CHI member Amy Wirabudi.
After these talks, a group of candidates was chosen with the help of the Board of Observers. These observers included Prof. Dr. Wayan “Kun” Adnyana, who is the Rector of ISI Denpasar in Bali, Dr. Nungki Kusumastuti, who is a Lecturer at IKJ in Jakarta, and Yan Stevenson, who is a Lecturer at ISI Padang Panjang in West Sumatra.
These people looked for talented people all over Indonesia and used qualitative study to find out how dedicated they were to Nusantara dance. The awardees were chosen and agreed upon by the Board of Observers as a whole, so the choice was made by everyone. Let’s meet the winners:
Alyssa D. Lutan
With her late husband, the famous dancer and director Deddy Lutan, they ruled the dance world for about 23 years with the Deddy Lutan Dance Company (DLDC). In 1989, they even took dancers from the Asmat tribe on a trip across the United States.
Their goal was clear: to improve culture art without taking it away from where it came from. Elly’s ideas came from her need to be busy and the mood of the time.
Mefri Ery
In 2004, Ery Mefri became famous thanks to the Indonesia Performing Arts, an event put on by the Ministry of Tourism that brings together Indonesian artists with entertainment managers and business owners from around the world.
In 2007, the Nan Jombang Group was asked to play in Brisbane, Australia, and then they went on to play in other countries. His piece “Rantau Berbisik,” which was inspired by Ery’s move from West Sumatra to Jakarta, is often the main attraction at shows around the world.
Arini Ni Ketut Ni
A dancer from Bali, this person has won many awards. One important thing she did was write “Tari Legong Widya Lalita.” In 1979, Arini and her dance group “Warini” led the TVRI show “Bina Tari” for twenty years.
People began to notice Arini, and she was asked to teach Balinese dance in other countries. Arini is still teaching and, believe it or not, dancing even though she is 80 years old. She even sang by herself at the CHI Awards 2023.
Return to Maruti
His or her own Solo People all over the world know Retno Maruti as one of Indonesia’s dance masters. Retno has been dancing abroad since the 1960s. In 1964, she spent eight months at the World’s Fair in New York. She was also chosen to be a dancer on a trip to Japan by the president.
As soon as Retno got back to Indonesia, she started making even more dance works. Retno has not only shown how creative and emotional classical Javanese art can be, but she has also helped many young classical dancers and artists grow.
The Powerful History of Dance
These dances have a lot of value and are not only a source of national pride, but they also help shape who we are as a country. They bring cultures to life and show how different and lively Indonesian customs are. Cheers to the dance masters who keep the beat of our culture going!