From mystic tension to collective celebration
Indonesia Club’s performance unfolded in four distinct movements. It began with the dark, ritual-like tension of “Lathi,” where male dancers carrying mountain-shaped props moved in circles around two female performers. The mood then shifted to collective movement of “Saman”, where dancers knelt in rows and struck their chests and thighs in tightly synchronized rhythms. Next came “Pacu Jalur,” drawing loud cheers from the audience as the song began playing and dancers sat on the floor, rowing their arms in unison like paddlers in a racing boat, before the sequence closed with the lively TikTok viral dance “Tabola Bale.”
The structure was intentionally designed to build emotion from mystic tension to collective celebration, said lead choreographer Gusti Ratu Puspitasari, a sophomore in hospitality and tourism management from Indonesia.
Costume choices followed the choreography, said costume lead Abelia Cinkatari, a senior majoring in business marketing and graphic design. Inspired by traditional attire from different regions, she said the designs were adapted to meet campus dress standards.
In “Lathi,” male dancers carried a modified “gunungan”—a mountain-shaped figure from Javanese puppet shows, Cinkatari said. Though traditionally made from buffalo hide, the club recreated the prop using DIY materials. “Gunungan represents protection and the world, where we’re one family—the essence of the theme ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’” she said.
Performers wore long sleeves and pants layered with colorful sarongs, inspired by Aceh, where the Saman dance originates. “All must be covered according to Muslim values,” Cinkatari said. Belle Hani, a TESOL freshman from Papua New Guinea, said learning the meaning behind Saman changed how she approached the performance. Understanding that movements such as chest slaps symbolized courage and sitting closely represented unity helped her see the choreography as more than coordinated movement. She said she hoped the audience noticed that their synchronized motions reflected unity, not just formation.