TubuhDANG TubuhDUT (BodyDANG BodyDUT)Ayu Permata Sari

Starting from a question of how dangdut – Indonesian popular music that combines the beats of Malay-Indian pop music and Arabic tunes – influences the dangdut movement. Ayu initiates her research by archiving joged (dance movement) performed by dangdut audience in the Gabusan local craft market, Yogyakarta. The archiving is conducted by firstly embodying the so-called joged dangdut as performed by the audience. Ayu observes how this embodiment process takes place in her own body trained in traditional and contemporary dance technique, a very different sensibility from joged dangdut. The aim is to familiarise with the modes and vocabulary of joged dangdut movement, as well as to observe the bodily reaction towards joged dangdut, for instance the relaxing effect, pleasure, etc. Some questions arising from this research deal with the audience’s perspective and society-at-large towards the dangdut singer – usually a sensual, sexy-clad young lady – up to the societal development intertwined with those of the dangdut itself. However, for this presentation, Ayu focuses on sharing her experience of archiving the joged dangdut through embodiment.