Nyoman Sura

A Young Talented Choreographer in IDF

Bali, in fact, is not only famous for its traditional dance but also its contemporary arts. Dance of this kind could raise Bali to an international forum. Its evidence, at the Indonesian Dance Festival (IDF) that was held at Graha Bhakti Ismail Marzuki Art Center (TIM) and Jakarta Arts Building last 14-17 July I Nyoman Sura, S.Sn was selected as a young talented and creative choreographer.
IDF is an international forum of dance festival that presents steady and distinguished choreographers. Moreover, last IDF performed choreographers who had outstanding achievement from five countries: Taiwan, Japan, Dutch, Australia and Indonesia. “I feel immense pride that I passed the selection and made a joint presentation with world class choreographers like that in IDF, besides I get more experience, I indirectly can promote ISI (the Indonesian Institute of Arts) Denpasar where I teach,” he said frankly.
On that occasion, was presented the composition of teaching staff of ISI Denpasar entitled “Bulan Mati”/”Laku Sang Bulan” (literally means the Dead Moon/the Attitude of the Moon). It was a composition of contemporary dance that took the inspiration of Hindu ritual on the Island of Gods onto the stage. He appeared in white cloth wrap that did not only indicate an alluring artistic ornament, but also produced a marvelous beauty of its own that coalesced into the dance movement. “There are many observers who give comments that Bali has produced new choreographers in contemporary creation who are entirely free from traditional bound, but its spirits still reside within,” he admitted pride fully.
According to Sura, it is not so easy to get the opportunity to make a presentation in IDF as you must pass a tight selection among all-Indonesia choreographers. He also added, it was for the second time for him to join the IDF selection. The first one was in 1999, but unfortunately, he failed. Prior to undergoing the presentation on IDF in Jakarta, he attended IDF/2004 choreographer workshop at East Java Art Center (Surabaya) on the 28 June-10 July. In the workshop, the dance composition entitled “Lanying” was selected as an attractive and creative composition.
He was born on 10 April 1976 and has a number of achievements in directing dance composition, once collaborating with Marcia Hydi, a German dancer through the composition of Rama-Shinta that was presented in Germany (2000). In the same year, he joined the Bali Arts Mission to the International Music Festival in Switzerland through the presentation of Cak Sunda Upasunda composed by I Wayan Dibia and had a chance to work with choreographers from Thailand, Germany and Malaysia. He also took part in the Singapore Arts Festival with the work of Ritus Legong (2001).
In the same work, he participated in the Peace Arts Festival at Art Center Denpasar (2002). Later, he took part in the Japan Arts Festival by presenting Calonarang. He also composed Dua-1 included in the Bali Arts Festival at Taman Budaya Art Center Denpasar and Sumatra Dance Forum that was held at the Art Center of West Sumatera (2003) and on several occaisions he joined the fellowship presentation with the composition AIR in Malaysia. His other works are Seribu Wajah and Lanying. (BTN/015)