DJANGAN!
What happens to a family when the trauma of war settles into their home like an invisible guest? In DJANGAN! (Indonesian for ‘don’t do it’), the atmosphere is defined by what is left unsaid. Four dancers portray a father, mother and two children in a space where every action is fraught with tension.
The father’s presence in the home is clearly palpable, defining and compelling. In the silences. In reactions that evade, hold back or, conversely, provoke. Everything revolves around a past that has no place, yet does exert an influence on the family. This invisible weight determines the patterns within the family. It influences every touch, every glance, and forms an invisible pressure from which there is no escape.
Through urban contemporary dance and influences from traditional dance and instruments, choreographer Cheroney Pelupessy creates a melancholic and oppressive family portrait, in which everything is on edge. But DJANGAN! also shows what can emerge when the next generation decides not only to carry the burden, but also to let go. To move forward, with what was, and to make space for what is yet to come.
“By sharing experiences from my own life and my surroundings, I aim to build connections and offer my audience a new perspective.”
-Cheroney Pelupessy
Cheroney Pelupessy is a dancer, choreographer and theatre maker with Indonesian, Moluccan and Dutch roots. She weaves together traditional and modern dance to tell stories about cultural identity, family and memories. Cheroney has previously created various performances, in which she explores her cultural roots and connects dance, heritage and community in her quest for representation. The performance DJANGAN! is produced under the banner of ISH Talent, through which ISH supports talented, emerging artists in their professional development.