Hey, I’m Deena,
My love for traditional Indonesian dance started at a young age. As an Indonesian who was born raised in Australia, I’ve always had a deep connection to my roots. I’ve always had an interest in my heritage, soaking up stories about my ancestors and my parents’ experiences. There’s this ongoing curiosity about what life would have been like if I had grown up in Indonesia rather than Australia.
I wasn’t much of a reader as a kid, still not to be honest, so my connection to my history came from family stories, films, music, and cultural events. Even though I’ve never been a big reader, one thing that has always excited me is dance. I used to love attending cultural events where they had traditional Indonesian dance performances on stage, getting completely lost in the graceful moves.
When I hit the age of 10, my parents took me to the Indonesian Consulate in Melbourne where they held traditional Indonesian dance classes every weekend. That marked the beginning of my exciting journey into learning about the incredible world of traditional Indonesian dance!
up on youtube
Ngayah, Pelebon, and Gambuh—the meaning of selfless devotion in Bali’s sacred cremation ceremonies and how dance connects culture, spirituality, and tradition.
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A Thousand Dancers by the Sea: My Experience at Gandrung Sewu in Banyuwangi I had heard whispers of this mesmerizing event years ago—a sea of dancers moving in perfect harmony on a beach in Banyuwangi, East Java. The idea of
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Explore the challenges of dual identity, from navigating languages and racism in Australia to a transformative experience in Indonesia. This
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