The Dance Education Program, Department of Drama, Dance, and Music, Faculty of Languages and Arts (FBS), Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES), commemorated World Dance Day 2023 in a hybrid format on Saturday, April 29, 2023. The celebration featured both an offline performance at Grand Maerakaca, PRPP Complex, Semarang City, and a live streaming broadcast via YouTube, enabling broader public participation.
Carrying the theme “Grounding Traditional Dance to Weave Identity,” the event aimed to revitalize and promote Indonesia’s traditional dance heritage among younger generations. The program consisted of two main events: the Classical Dance Festival and the Semarak Traditional Dance Performance of Central Java. The online Classical Dance Festival gathered 67 participants from elementary to senior high schools across Central Java, from which 15 nominees were selected for the final showcase.
According to Lesa Paranti, S.Pd., M.A., the Head of the Organizing Committee, the enthusiasm of the participants was remarkable given the high level of technical difficulty in performing classical dance. She emphasized that this enthusiasm reflects the enduring interest of young people in classical arts—a cultural asset that UNNES, as a conservation-minded university, seeks to nurture. “This aligns with UNNES’s commitment to uphold the values of conservation in arts and culture,” Lesa noted.
At the on-site venue, student performances from various cohorts were accompanied by an academic discussion titled “The Aesthetics of Classical Dance,” presented by Drs. Bintang Hanggoro Putra, M.Hum., a lecturer and dance practitioner. This session served as a means of transmitting cultural knowledge, highlighting that classical dance embodies local traditions and values, thereby contributing to the advancement of cultural heritage.
The Semarak Traditional Dance Performance, organized in collaboration with Grand Maerakaca, showcased ten dance performances involving fifty-nine dancers. The repertoire included various regional styles such as Semarangan, Banyumasan, Surakarta, and Central Javanese folk dances, each reflecting the richness of Indonesia’s intangible cultural heritage.
Dr. Udi Utomo, M.Si., Head of the Department of Drama, Dance, and Music Education, stated that UNNES Menari serves as a platform for the university community and the public to appreciate, create, and express artistic ideas. “It also acts as an educational and conservation medium through which audiences can engage with traditional dance performances,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Dr. Sri Rejeki Urip, M.Hum., Dean of the Faculty of Languages and Arts, remarked that this annual celebration enhances students’ creativity and provides hands-on experience in performance management, linking theoretical knowledge to practical application in large-scale events.
The hybrid format of this event not only allowed for wider public access but also supported community engagement and cultural promotion, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, particularly the target of ensuring access to cultural heritage for all. The celebration concluded with the signing of an Implementation of Arrangement (IoA) between FBS UNNES and Grand Maerakaca, reinforcing their collaboration in education, research, and community service—furthering UNNES’s commitment to sustainable cultural development and inclusive access to heritage spaces.
