Tari Aceh—Dance of Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia

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This performance will be preceded at 7:00 pm by a pre-performance lecture.

Aceh (Sumatra, Indonesia) is renowned for its exuberant performances combining text, poetry, dance, and movement with a distinct flavor that reflects local culture as well as a strong Islamic influence. It has been ten years since the devastating tsunami killed over 200,000 people in Aceh. This performance celebrates the resilience of the people and a new generation of young women whose traditions have provided an important part of the healing process.

One of the hallmarks of Acehnese dance is a form of body percussion in which various rhythms are created by slapping the body or clapping. One form — saman — is done in a tight line, shoulder-to-shoulder, becoming almost a singular-being moving at split-second speed. The form is not only entertaining but also has an educational side which reflects the morals and teachings of the community.

This is a rare opportunity to see an all-female group from Syiah Kuala University, located in Banda Aceh, the capital of the Aceh province on the western Indonesian island of Sumatra.

This program is part of Asia Society's ongoing initiative Creative Voices of Muslim Asia.

The U.S. tour of Tari Aceh! is organized by Wesleyan University’s Center for the Arts, Asia Society and the Center for the Arts of Syiah Kuala University on the occasion of the 2015-16 Muslim Women’s Voices at Wesleyan. It is made possible with leadership support from the Association of Performing Arts Presenters: Building Bridges: Campus Community Engagement Grants Program, a component of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art. It is also supported by a grant from the Expeditions program of the New England Foundation for the Arts, made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional support from the six New England state arts agencies.