A major figure in Indonesian contemporary dance, the choreographer and dancer Eko Supriyanto draws inspiration from Indonesian martial arts. Symbolically and choreographically speaking, Balabala is a combat piece stripped back in the extreme, alternating between strength and vulnerability; the choreographer appropriates, deconstructs, slows down, stretches and extends this warlike dance of the Tobaru people traditionally performed by men. With slow rhythmic movements, the five young women sculpt the space and step beyond cultural and gender hierarchies, opening up a new space for freedom.
Performance presented in collaboration with Szene Salzburg