Banyuwangi Dance Marks Independence Day Celebrations
Jakarta. This year's Independence Day celebrations on Thursday (17/08) at the Merdeka Palace began with a traditional dance from Banyuwangi, East Java.
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on his official Facebook account among the main attractions of the celebrations mentioned the jejer kembang menur dance, a parade by children from the Kinderfield kindergarten in Jakarta's Duren Sawit, and a performance by superstar singer Ari Lasso.
The Banywangi dance was performed by 200 high school students and accompanied by the sounds of gamelan.
The dancers, chosen from 900 hopefuls, took part in a one-month training program.
"Jejer kembang menur dance is a contemporary version of gandrung," the performance's choreographer, Suharji, said.
Gandrung was originally danced in Banyuwangi to express gratitude for good harvests to fertility goddess Dewi Sri. The dance's name comes from one of the Javanese terms for "love."
Nowadays, the dance is performed at weddings.
Banyuwangi district head Azwar Anas said it was an honor for the district to present the dance at the Merdeka Palace.
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