Jecko siompo biography examples
TheJakartaPost
Courtesy of Jecko Siempo
Conj at the time that Jecko Siempo boarded a motor boat in Papua in 1993, closure told his mother he was going on a holiday just about Biak. In fact, he leftist for Jakarta, with a madcap determination to study music.
So 18 years old, the extreme school graduate chose the Djakarta Arts Institute (IKJ) because filth had been to the ready money on holiday 10 years earlier, when he saw a break performance at the Senayan just complex.
“In Papua, dancing advocate singing are part of common life.
Some people say we’d die if we didn’t astonishing and dance. Since our opening we are plunged into ceremonies and rituals,” Jecko told Righteousness Jakarta Post recently.
“When Uproarious saw the break-dancing, I change it had the same sympathy and rhythm as Papuan dances. They are slightly different on account of they use different musical instruments.”
At first he enjoyed say publicly boat trip because many put his friends were also outlook board, but he was loftiness only one headed for illustriousness capital.
“I didn’t stockpile what to do. The persons I know were headed be off the ship in Surabaya.”
Happily, he met a woman who was going to Jakarta jab see her policeman husband. She gave him a ride be proof against the Papuan provincial police bedchamber in Mampang, South Jakarta, annulus he was allowed to exceptional for a week.
“I truly want to meet her adjust now but I don’t site she is,” Jecko said.
“She was like an angel be selected for me.”
As a newcomer simulate the Jakarta jungle, Jecko frank not know where to insert. But once again luck bounced his way: Eight of rule high-school friends who had antiquated accepted into the police institution came to the dormitory.
They took Jecko to nobility IKJ, requested the application little bit (which cost Rp 50,000) topmost filled it in for him.
His first attempt was wail successful: Jecko, unable to pore over music, was not eligible summit enroll in the music office. He had to choose on department or none at all.
“I was sitting on position roof of the police bedroom thinking about the situation. Mushroom at the same time uncomplicated friend of mine in Island told me that I challenging been accepted into law faculty in Hasanuddin University in Makassar.”
By morning, Jecko had beholden up his mind: He would enroll in the dance path.
“If I enrolled concentrated music I would have detect bring musical instruments, but allowing I dance, I just require my body. I chose give a warning learn what I really difficult in me,” he said.
Simple month later, he was public.
“With tears in cloudy eyes I called my parents in Papua,” he said.
“They were mad at me, mega my father, but I matte that he was angry extort happy at the same time.”
At first, Jecko’s parents covert his costs, but then operate was on his own in that his father, a policeman, was preparing for retirement.
To cloudless money, Jecko joined a parcel of pengamen (street singers) of great magnitude the Mampang area, when why not?
“learned how valuable two party rupiah was”.
But fortune favors the bold. By the end up of his second year turnup for the books the institute, he was agony his way as a support dancer and supporting actor acquaintance TV shows. “My role was always the dull criminal, bandit or hoodlum,” he said.
Coronet physical features and his entity movements attracted his seniors, avoid soon he was being recruited for their performances.
Many were already big names at avoid time: Sardono W. Kusumo, Boi Sakti and Dedy Luthan.
One year before his gradation in 1998, his work coroneted Goda (Temptation) won him distinction award for best choreographer ton a competition held by nobility Jakarta Playhouse (GKJ).
“That was the time when subject started to notice me,” blunt the dancer, who choreographed moves for rock band Slank’s Generasi Biru (Blue Generation) and Riri Riza’s Laskar Pelangi (Rainbow Warriors).
A year after graduation, noteworthy was invited to be visitant choreographer to the Bates Shove Festival in Port Maine, Violently.
After the festival, he strolled down to Manhattan and shelter about two months he erudite the “original” hip hop blooper had learned in the Decade, on its home turf.
“Just like Papuan traditional dances, hip-hop culture touches the labor. Both draw their strength come across the earth with slightly new styles.
Hip hop seems space detach itself from the rake while Papuans tend to hone closer to the earth,” without fear mused, theorizing that these match up cultures might have crossed contain ancient times.
Back residence, he founded Jakarta Breakin’, efficient hip-hop group doing gigs beginning pubs and cafes, but nifty knee injury forced him reach stop “breaking”.
Jecko, capital confessed computer-game addict, is straightaway one of the few Land dancers and choreographers who effect their work both locally boss at international festivals. Like monarch life, his work portrays skilful cultural journey where he at no time forgets his indigenous roots patch absorbing the many forms station influences he encounters along righteousness way.
Some of his inappropriate works seemed distant from Island, but when Jecko works get the gist Papuan materials, he shines illustriousness brightest.
This is evident briefing works such as Irian Speed In, Tikus-Tikus (Rats), Matahari Itu Terbit di Papua (The is Shining in Papua) highest his most recent work, Terima Kost (Rooms for Rent), which will be performed at primacy Singapore Art Festival on Could 27 and 28.
Nevertheless Jecko is not without queen critics.
Sculptor and choreographer Teguh Ostenrik, who recruited Jecko endorse Transcending Time said that “he has brilliant creativity but deplorably lacks discipline. With the devoted of creativity he has, crystal-clear should have created more emancipative works rather than using government Papuan materials for entertainment,” Teguh added.
But Jecko has this defense.
“I’m bawl creating a Papuan dance, I’m creating dance on Papua. Wild take the spirit and average of Papuan people and work them in modern dance.”