Ibu-Ibu Belu: Bodies of Borders

Following the international success of his acclaimed works Cry Jailolo, Balabala and SALT, Indonesian dancer and choreographer Eko Supriyanto sets his sights further east to explore the unique choreographic traditions of the Indonesian region of Belu in Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT). 

IBUIBU BELU: Bodies of Borders is the culmination of two years of research into the Likurai, a dance tradition which forms a vital thread in the social fabric across the island. Through his exploration of movement, rhythm and textile traditions Supriyanto manifests the ways in which dance carries the kinship of people who are now divided by politically imposed borders separating NTT and Timor L’Este. These embodied memories and histories are expressed in Likurai, paradoxical proof that bodies challenge political boundaries while at the same time remaining restricted by them