Pesta Raya 2025: Indonesian choreographer Hartati revisits history (2025)

SINGAPORE – The last time Indonesian choreographer Hartati, 59, was in Singapore, it was for the grand opening of the Esplanade in 2002.

She was the choreographer for the then-Singapore Dance Theatre’s Reminiscing The Moon, which was directed by celebrated Indonesian dancer Boi G. Sakti for the opening festival.

“It was fascinating,” Hartati, who goes by only one name, says of the project. “I took my three-year-old daughter to stay in Singapore for 1½ months with the team.”

On May 2 and 3, Hartati takes centre stage with her choreography at the Esplanade’s Pesta Raya – Malay Festival of Arts. Jarum Dalam Jerami, which translates to Needle In A Haystack, is a long-awaited homecoming to the Esplanade.

“I am thrilled because I can finally present my own choreography again at the Esplanade,” Hartati says over Zoom.

Her piece is an attempt to understand Indonesia’s contemporary realities in the wake of President Suharto’s resignation in 1998. In the work, Hartati considers the importance of stepping back, reflecting and finding a sense of calm amid the initial euphoria.

First staged in Sumatra for the 2022 Matrilineal Festival, the piece draws inspiration from, and is a response to, her mentor Gusmiati Suid’s Api Dalam Sekam (Fire In The Husk). Gusmiati’s performance reflected on the final years of the New Order, which refers to the regime of President Suharto.

Hartati taps the Minangkabau dance traditions she grew up with in West Sumatra, but the most eye-catching aspect of the show is the set, which will be filled with hay.

And not just plain dried grass, but also 200kg of paddy hay, specially sourced and transported to Singapore after a six-week search.

“Regular hay, which resembles long grass, is too dusty and lacks the texture we need,” says Hartati.

The paddy hay is more than mere backdrop or a prop. It is part of the choreography and philosophy of the performance.“With paddy hay, the specific leg movements will have more power too,” she adds.

The nine dancers will move through the hay and interact with it during the dance, which also draws attention to the labour of rice farmers.

Rice, she notes, is a symbol of life and a staple in many Asian cultures, which is something essential yet often overlooked.

“What I hope to share with the Singapore audience is an invitation to reconnect with the cultural roots that shape who we are. As Asians, our traditions are not just our heritage, but also our strength,” she says.

Through this work, she hopes audiences will pause to honour the unseen hands of those who cultivate the land, carry forward ancestral knowledge and be reminded that their everyday existence is built upon collective care and inherited wisdom.

“Returning to the stage in Singapore feels meaningful and energising. It allows me to reconnect with my artistic practice and share it with a wider international audience,” she says.

Book It/Jarum Dalam Jerami

Where: Esplanade Theatre Studio, 1 Esplanade Drive
When: May 2 and 3, 8pm
Admission: From $28
Info: str.sg/nkHA

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