Photo courtesy of Eko Supriyanto World Arts and Cultures
M.F.A. candidate Eko Supriyanto presents his dance
production, "Mata Hati," ("The Mind’s Eye") on Nov. 17, 7 p.m. at
Kaufman Hall.
By Andrea Dingman
Daily Bruin Contributor
Emigrants to America, from countless ethnic backgrounds, learn
to balance the cultures of their former homes, with their present
ones.
This weekend in Kaufman Hall, Indonesian-born Eko Supriyanto, an
M.F.A. candidate in World Arts and Cultures, presents his
“journey” from life in his homeland to life in America,
in the dance production “Mata Hati”
(“Mind’s Eye”).
“It’s mostly about my journey in Indonesia and my
journey here in America, and having America as my other culture
right now, and where I put myself into those cultures,” he
said. “It’s about the relationship, my journey (and)
remembering my family.”
The show is composed of six works, including two premieres. In a
hybrid style of traditional Indonesian and modern dance, the
program includes both solo pieces and ensemble works, with
supporting dancers Sri Susilowati, Erica Redollar, Mercedes Ryden,
Caroline Chang, Keya Keita, Carmen Carnes, Katharina Ashikita,
Emiko Susilo and Susilo’s 1-month-old daughter, Dawa Ayu Dewe
Larassanti.
Supriyanto’s family was strict in regards to traditional
arts. From the age of 7, he was taught Javanese classical dance and
pencak silat, an Indonesian martial art.
“I’m a Javanese dancer,” Supriyanto said.
“My new work was strongly influenced by my Javanese
training.”
 Photo courtesy of Eko Supriyanto (Left to right)
Sari Susilowati, Keya Keita, Caroline Chang and Mercedes
Ryden are supporting dancers in "Mata Hati," which
presents a hybrid style of traditional Indonesian and modern dance.
Supriyanto went to the Indonesian Institute of the Arts, earning a
B.F.A. He toured all over Asia and Europe, first coming to the U.S.
in 1997 for the American Dance Festival with the International
Choreographer-in-Residency program. While there, he was invited to
perform in the Asia Pacific Performance Exchange Program at
UCLA.
After APPEX, Supriyanto returned to Indonesia for a year before
beginning his M.F.A. study at UCLA.
“Mata Hati” reflects on Supriyanto’s past,
homeland and his struggles in negotiating his life in Indonesia
with his present life in Los Angeles. The challenge that both
motivates and excites Supriyanto is dealing with American
audiences, who don’t have any background knowledge of
legends, fairy tales, and other stories that people in his home
country would be familiar with.
Dance pieces “Offering,” and “Sosok”
(“A Magical Brewing”) will premier at “Mati
Hati.” The other works are titled “From the
Timepiece,” “A Yearbook,” “Sensing”
and “Inconclusive Blooming.”
Seven musicians comprising a full Gamelan orchestra will perform
music written specifically for Supriyanto’s dances by I Dewa
Putu Berata and I Nyoman Wenten.
“Sosok” and the other works look at issues that
people face as residents of both Indonesia and America.
“The piece (“˜Sosok’) is all about my mom and
the woman community in Indonesia in my village,” said
Supriyanto.
Lassaranti, Susilo’s daughter appears in the show as a
representation of Supriyanto’s childhood. Lassaranti holds
her daughter to reenact Supriyanto’s remembrance of his
mother doing the same with his sister during his childhood in
Indonesia.
Rather than aiming simply to entertain, Supriyanto has clear-cut
goals for “Mati Hati.”
“My philosophy, being a dancer especially, is giving a
dharma, (a Hindu belief), giving the good energy to the audience,
encourages them to be in a peaceful energy,” Supriyanto
explained.
“I believe dharma is a good way to respect people, culture
and kharma,” he continued. “If you give something good,
I’m sure you will get something good back. I’m hoping
the audience will have something to bring home.”
The concept of Mind’s Eye came out of Supriyanto’s
childhood.
“In Javanese dance, we believe that the eyes of a dancer
are not in a physical eye, but inside; the eye is inside, in the
energy of the dancer, in the center,” Supriyanto
explained.
“”˜Mata Hati’ means working from that center,
the philosophy of the deeper meaning of the rasa,” he
continued. Rasa is an Indonesian philosophical concept of inner
energy.
Supriyanto hopes that “Mati Hati” will connect his
two different lives, in America and in Asia. Looking inside
“Mati Hati,” one can see beautiful movement while
negotiating between both traditional and modern, East and West.
DANCE: “Mati Hati” is showing in Theatre 200 in
Kaufman Hall (formerly known as the Dance Building) on Nov. 17 and
18 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $8 for
students with ID. To order tickets, call (310) 825-2101.