The body as a space beyond binary opposites.

 

 

Rianto is a specialist in the Central Javanese form of Lengger, a cross-gender dance form Banyumas. In Medium, Rianto recalls the term Lengger as derived from elinga ngger, meaning the “advice to be aware, to remember”. Rianto’s virtuosic movement language is combined with a powerful live vocal and percussion score by Cahwati, also from Banyumas. Together they unfold the relationship between movement and sound that lies at the core of the Lengger tradition.

 

After the success of SoftMachine, dancer as well as Choreographer, a Long-term Member from Akram Khan's company，Rianto returns to his hometown and relationship to the Lengger masters. He strives not only for the survival of this form, but especially the space it holds beyond binary opposites.

 

A space between manhood and womanhood, between customs and religious principles, between conscious control and trance. Medium is Rianto’s universal call for freedom, for eschewing dogma and embracing the contradiction, mysteries and layered diversity that is at the heart of Javanese tradition.

 

Co-comissionede by splanade - Theatres on the Bay (SG)、Performance Space (AU)、National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying)、deSingel Internationale Kunstcampus (BE)、Staatstheater Darmstadt (DE)

Supported: Kommunitas Salihara (ID)、Darwin Festival (AU)
Choreographer: Rianto
Dramaturg: Garin Nugroho, Tang Fu Kuen
Scenography: Iskandar k. Loedin Vocals
Percussion: Cahwati Sound
Design: Yasuhiro Morinaga
Production Coordinator: Putri Pramesti Wigaringtyas
Producer: Jala Adolphus