The quality of students from the Faculty of Languages and Arts (FBS) at Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) has once again been proven on the national stage. At the ARTEPAC (Art Performance Competition) organized by the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Sebelas Maret (FEB UNS), held at Taman Budaya Jawa Tengah in Surakarta on Thursday, June 11, 2026, the FBS UNNES dance team clinched 1st Place, outperforming strong competitors such as ISI Surakarta (2nd Place) and UNS (3rd Place).
Five talented FBS UNNES students – Miracle Cristiano Bandanga, Seto Ferdiansyah, Dd Indah Nur’aini, Shenira Zara Untari, and Yona Kenny Priskila – delivered a captivating performance with their piece titled “Laskar Tinebu” (The Tebu Warriors). The dance tells the story of the people’s suffering during the forced cultivation system under colonial rule. Peasants were forced to work using traditional bamboo hats (caping), while sugar cane (tebu) symbolizes both hard labor and oppression. Yet beneath the sugar cane lies courage and resistance. The dance conveys the spirit of the people’s uprising against injustice and their fight for freedom.
This achievement cannot be separated from the role of two highly competent FBS UNNES supervising lecturers: Dr. Eny Kusumastuti, M.Pd. and Sestri Indah Pebrianti, S.Pd., M.A. Their capacity to create and direct a dance work that is strong both artistically and thematically proves that FBS UNNES lecturers are not only excellent in classroom teaching but are also taken into account on the national competition stage.
One of the dancers, Miracle Cristiano Bandanga, expressed his gratitude. “We trained for months to bring the story of ‘Laskar Tinebu’ to life with deep emotion. This victory proves that FBS UNNES students can compete with well-known arts institutions. We are proud to have made UNNES proud,” he said after the announcement.
Meanwhile, Dr. Eny Kusumastuti, M.Pd. , added that student quality was the key. “They didn’t just dance; they also learned history, philosophy, and the courage to convey social critique through movement. I am proud of their dedication and creativity. Lecturers only facilitate, but the main stars are the students,” she remarked.
The chairperson of the ARTEPAC committee from FEB UNS noted that this year’s competition was very tight. “The performance by the UNNES team stood out. The depth of the narrative and the energy shown by the students were truly extraordinary. They deserve to be the champions,” he said.
The Dean of FBS UNNES, Prof. Dr. Tommi Yuniawan, M.Hum. , expressed his highest appreciation. “This achievement proves that FBS UNNES students have excellent quality recognized at the national level. We are proud that they were able to defeat renowned arts institutions. This achievement also aligns with SDG 4 (Quality Education) through the development of students’ arts and culture competencies, SDG 5 (Gender Equality) by empowering both male and female dancers equally, and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) through the theme of resistance against historical injustice,” he emphasized.
This success further confirms that FBS UNNES students are not only excellent in the classroom but are also able to compete and win prestigious national-level competitions.
