FLEISHER ART MEMORIAL and MODERO & CO. present



Di Hati-Ku tells a story about Kartini, a first-generation Indonesian immigrant who takes her granddaughter Hati on an imaginary and nostalgic journey to Indonesia that came to life! Sinta specifically wrote the story to showcase her Pamona heritage, an ethnic group from Central Sulawesi that is not as well known as people from Bali or Java. In this dance-theater piece, she wanted to highlight the everyday immigrant story where grandparents are left to care for their grandchildren while their children go to work. For many Indonesian immigrants in South Philadelphia, visiting their homeland means many months and years of saving money. For the 3rd generation who never had the opportunity to visit, Indonesia is always pictured as a tropical paradise. Di Hati-Ku also showcases the diversity of the Indonesian people and how they live harmoniously together, with different ethnicities and religions. For Hati, the granddaughter that never left South Philadelphia, her afternoon has turned into a fantasy journey of learning about her heritage and experiencing it first hand. The show is filled with love stories, dancing, singing, and ornate and authentic costumes from Sulawesi to Sunda in West Java.
Di Hati-Ku menceritakan tentang Kartini, seorang imigran Indonesia generasi pertama yang membawa cucunya, Hati, melalui perjalanan imaginatif dan nostalgia ke Indonesia yang menjadi nyata! Sinta secara spesifik menulis ceritanya untuk menunjukkan keturunan Pamona, sebuah suku dari Sulawesi Tengah yang tidak banyak diketahui seperti orang dari Bali atau Jawa. Melalui karya dansa-teater ini, dia bertujuan menyoroti kisah imigran sehari-harinya dimana kakek-nenek dibiarkan merawat cucu-cucunya, sembari anak-anaknya bekerja. Bagi imigran Indonesia di Philadelphia Selatan, berkunjung ke tanah air berarti menabung selama berbulan-bulan dan bertahun-tahun. Bagi generasi ketiga yang belum pernah berkesempatan untuk mengjunjung, Indonesia selalu digambarkan sebagai surga tropis. Di Hati-Ku juga menunjukkan keberagaman dari masyarakat Indonesia dan bagaimana mereka hidup bersama secara harmonis, dengan keberagaman etnis, suku, dan kepercayaan. Bagi Hati, sang cucu yang tidak pernah meninggalkan Philadelphia Selatan, siang harinya berubah menjadi perjalanan fantasi tentang mempelajari warisannya dan mengalaminya secara langsung. Pertunjukkan ini penuh dengan kisah cinta, tarian, nyanyian, serta kostum dan ornament otentik dari Sulawesi sampai Sunda di jawa Barat.
Fleisher Art Memorial Rose Window and Di Hait-Ku.In their South Philly home, Kartini (a first-generation immigrant grandmother) has to stay home with her granddaughter Hati (third generation) while Hati’s parents are working. It’s a daily routine for Kartini who have to raise her grandchildren while her children work almost 50 hours a week. Their morning conversation turned to a storytelling time about Kartini’s homeland, Indonesia. Hati who has never left the USA since she was born was curious about her heritage and the island country. To her surprise, her grandmother’s story came to life with dancers, fairies and singers. Kartini took Hati on a nostalgic journey to Indonesia, sharing her family’s traditions and her love story. The duo island hopped from Bali, Sulawesi, and Java. Hati who was a little bored with her grandmother’s love story wanted to hear a fun celebration story and Kartini delivered!
After telling Hati to use the restroom, Kartini told Hati about her parents’ wedding. Kartini even got dressed up to tell the story. Hati didn’t know what was waiting for her. The Sundanese wedding tradition of Hati’s parents was a cultural experience complete with guards, dancers and a wedding shaman. It was a marriage of two cultures. Both the bride and groom’s family wore their own traditional attire. Hati gets to be at her parent’s wedding. What a Saturday morning for this grandmother and granddaughter duo!
Sinta Penyami Storms is an Indonesian dance artist as well as a visionary, community leader, and activist who nourishes and promotes dance, fashion, cuisine, and other aspects of Indonesian tradition. In 2011, she started Modero Dance Company to promote her art and provide a safe space for the Indonesian community. Besides sustaining the Indonesian community’s creative economy, Modero dancers are actively involved in social justice issues such as race and gender equality, immigration issues, and worker’s rights.
Detty Kastubi Aziz DirectorDetty was born in Bandung, West Java, and was trained in Western Javanese (Sundanese) dances in her younger years. She was privately trained specifically in the classical Sundanese dance by Elly Pasha, the director of a prominent Sundanese Dance Troupe Ekayana in Jakarta, Indonesia. Detty’s Sundanese cultural exposure was supported by her parents and family who embraced and dedicated a part of their lives to the preservation and promotion of the traditional culture in the capital city, Jakarta. Detty’s mother is a prominent traditional Sundanese wedding make-up artist and coordinator who is still actively involved in the traditions at 94 years of age. Nowadays Detty loves performing with Modero at various events. In continuing her family’s passion and dedication.
Melody Wong Di Hati-Ku Assistant DirectorMelody Wong, Assistant Director is thrilled to be working on Di Hati-Ku with Modero Dance Co. at Fleisher Art Memorial. It is so exciting to work on this wonderful project bringing together community and culture. It is such an honor to be in this wonderful room.
Recent Stage Management credits include In Search for the Kitchen Gods with 1812 Productions, Group!, Janet Wide Awake and Ok Trenton with Passage Theatre. The Ongoing Plight of the Ferryman at Plays and Players.
Directed by Sinta Penyami Storms & Detty Kastubi Aziz
Assistant Director Melody Wong
Village
Mangkasa (Kartini’s Father) & Nugraha’s Father Landry Zuhrian
Pamonian Warrior Rex Yin
Pamonian Warrior & Young Yudo (Kartini’s husband)
Raditio Yano Catur Putro
Pamonian Warriors & Wedding Guards (Ponggawa)
Jonathan Lie, Hilmy Abidin & Gallant Abidin
Pamonian & Sundanese Wedding
Ellyana Sukwanputra, Cherilyn Chow & Audi Soetiono
Dina (Kartini’s Mother)
Inggid Wakano
Young Kartini Linda Wei
Javanese Singer (Sinden)
Nevi Widiyastuty
Mutiara
Rukmini–Sundanese
Wedding Shaman
Detty Kastubi Aziz
Lengser–Sundanese
Male Dancer
Charley Sullivan
Sundanese Umbrella Bearer
James Onofrio
Wedding Guards (Ponggawa)
Ardhika Aziz, Halim Nurdin
Javanese Villagers & Wedding Entourage
Arie Novitasari, Tobias Widyastuty, Siti Rahayu
Michidilla de Kim Nugraha Thom Kim Sundanese Dancer Afifah BallMake-up & Hair done by members of the community
Food Vendor brought to you by the local Indonesian community.
Additional credits: SM for; TURN! Polly Mope, Lashed but not Leashed, Black Light, The Outer Space, The Kinetic Tree, PIFA 2016 at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Minorityland with PowerStreet Theater, The Wiz with Theater in the X, Tiger Style with Philadelphia Asian Performing Artists, Master Harold and the Boys, with EgoPo Classic Theater, Barrymore Awards 2018/2019, ASM Whitman! Contradict this! with Bearded Ladies Cabaret, Assistant to the Director for the live capture of La Triviata, Turandot, The Marriage of Figaro with Opera Philadelphia. Certain communities that Melody belongs to: Temple Alum, Asian Arts Initiative, Philadelphia Chinatown.
Art is a part of everyday Indonesian life. The people of Indonesia inhabit the art experience through their food, dance, clothing, crafts, textiles, and even the smallest of details in their daily lives, with everything they do. This immersive philosophy guided the work we executed as part of our 360 Culture Lab project. Fleisher Art Memorial began the collaboration with the Indonesian community in Philadelphia by opening their doors to Modero & Co, a community dance troupe, and offering them a place to rehearse every week. Open to both the youth and adults, the dance practices brought something new to Fleisher, activating our Sanctuary with music and dance, both art forms that we haven’t embraced in the past. In addition, we hosted the Indonesian Festival in our outdoor space, activating the entire community and allowing everyone from neighbors to Fleisher students to experience the arts of Indonesia through food, crafts, dance and music.
“Enak!” Enak means delicious. My first introduction to the Indonesian culture was through their food and the passion they all share for it. And to understand their food, you need to understand their history which is comprised of colonialism and repression until they finally became an independent country with a unique cultural background. The country of Indonesia is a series of islands located in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, very far from Fleisher Art Memorial’s South Philadelphia location. My mission to connect with this community brought many questions to mind: How can I possibly connect with the Indonesian community in Philadelphia? Will they even entertain the idea of talking to me? Do we share something in common? As I began to build a relationship between Fleisher Art Memorial and the community, I learned that Indonesia’s cuisine is diverse, rich and complex and the Indonesian community is exactly that, plus welcoming, kind and accepting. They have one of the richest support systems I have witnessed in which everyone takes care of each other. I was embraced with love and a new name, Mas G, and I will always have respect and love for this beautiful community.
The music and dance production, Di-Hati Ku, is a first for the Indonesian Community and for Fleisher Art Memorial. Written and directed by the incredible force that is Sinta Penyami Storms, the story artfully connects the old generation with the new generation of Indonesians living in Philadelphia through a compelling production that involves theater, music, dance, traditional costumes and make-up, video and a cast and crew comprised by the community and friends. In keeping with the Indonesian custom of welcoming everyone, even the audience is part of the performance. It is all baik!
Gerard Silva Project Director for 360 Culture Lab Director of Exhibitions & Community Outreach, Fleisher Art MemorialSeni merupakan bagian sehari-hari di Indonesia. Masyarakat Indonesia menanamkan pengalaman seni tersebut melalui kuliner, tari, pakaian, kerajinan, tekstil, dan bahkan detil-detil terkecil kehidupan seharian mereka, melalui semua yang mereka lakukan. Filosofi yang mendalam ini mengarahkan pekerjaan yang kami laksanakan sebagai bagian dari proyek 360 Culture Lab. Fleisher Art Memorial memulai kolaborasi dengan komunitas Indonesia di Philadelphia dengan membuka pintu untuk Modero & Co, sebuah komunitas sanggar tari, dan menawarkan mereka tempat untuk latihan setiap minggunya. Terbuka untuk khalayak muda dan dewasa, latihan tari tersebut membawa sesuatu yang baru kepada Flesiher, menghidupkan Sanctuary tersebut dengan music dan tarian, dua bentuk seni yang belum pernah dianut di masa lalu. Selain dari itu, kami menyelenggarakan festival Indonesia di ruang outdoor kami, menghidupkan komunitas secara menyeluruh dan memberikan kesempatan bagi semua, dari tetangga sampai murid Fleisher, untuk merasakan dan mengalami kesenian Indonesia melalui kuliner, kerajinan, tari, dan musik.
“Enak!” Perkenalan pertama saya kepada budaya Indonesia adalah melalui makanan dan semangat yang mereka miliki terhadapnya. Untuk memahami kulinernya, perlu dipahami sejarah dari Indonesia yang terdiri dari kolonialisme dan penindasan sampai hingga mereka menjadi negara merdeka dengan latar belakang budaya yang unik. Negara Indonesia merupakan serangakian pulau yang terletak di Samudera Hindia dan Pasifik, sangat jauh dari lokasi Fleisher Art Memorial di Philadelphia Selatan. Misi saya untuk terhubung dengan komunitas ini membuahkan beberapa pertanyaan: Bagaimana cara saya bisa terhubung dengan komunitas Indonesia di Philadelphia? Apakah mereka akan menggubris berbincang dengan saya? Apakah kami memiliki sesuatu hal yang sama? Sepanjang saya membangun hubungan antara Fleisher Art Memorial dan komunitas, saya mempelajari bahwa kuliner Indonesia beragam, kaya, dan kompleks, dan komunitas Indonesia sama seperti hal itu, serta sangat ramah dan menerima. Mereka memiliki support system terkaya, dimana semua orang saling menjaga satu sama lain. Saya diterima dengan kasih dan diberikan nama baru, Mas G, dan saya akan selalu memiliki rasa hormat dan sayang terhadap komunitas ini.
Produksi musik dan tari melalui Di-Hati Ku merupakan hal yang pertama bagi komunitas Indonesia dan Fleisher Art Memorial. Ditulis dan disutradarai oleh sosok hebat yaitu Sinta Penyami Storms, cerita ini menghubungkan secara artistik generasi lama dan generasi baru dari orang Indonesia yang tinggal di Philadelphia melalui produksi hebat yang melibatkan teater, musik, tari, busana tradisional dan tata rias, video, serta pemeran dan kru yang terdiri dari anggota komunitas dan teman-temannya. Sesuai dengan kebiasaan orang Indonesia yang menyambut semua orang, penonton juga menjadi bagian dari pertunjukannya. “Semuanya baik-baik saja!”
Gerard Silva Direktur Proyek dari 360 Culture Lab Direktur Pameran & Penjangkauan Komunitas di Fleisher Art MemorialSpecial dedication to our ancestors, elders, grandparents, and parents from whom we have learned so much.
I was lucky to grow up with two grandmothers and a grandfather. I didn’t get to meet my ngkai (grandfather) Nikolaus but I was very close to my ngkai Mangkasa (ngkai ipa). He was the one who babysat me when I was too young to go to school. He would take me to walk my sister to school and then sit me down at a cemetery near our home and tell me all kinds of children’s stories. My grandmother Dina (nene ipa) was one. I think everyone was afraid of her. I learned that she apparently had some magical and healing powers. The night she passed away, the villagers saw a white tiger shadow around her home. My other grandmother, Mutiara (nene gode) was a nurturing one. I loved visiting her, she’d always have all kinds of goodies to share with me.
My late father was a leader and pioneer. A man who had big dreams and always worked hard to achieve them. He was my first English teacher. I learned to reach for the stars and always care for others from him. My mother, Frida is now in her 70s and living in Jakarta with my brother. She’s my costume maker and teacher. Both my parents taught me to invest in people and to build communities wherever I go.
My mother is my “putri sejati”, hero, mentor, and role model. Perseverance, perfection, dedication, and hard work, are all the qualities I learned from her. A mother with 10 children and a whole clan to take care of, she had to work extra hard to fulfill her passion for the arts. I learned about respect and pride from her when it comes to our traditional culture. Throughout her active years from the 70s to now, her mission is to be true to our core tradition in spite of modern demands. It’s a big shoe to fill but I will try to continue her arts in the form of wedding performances. It is our dream to continue her legacy. I wish for her health and for her to be able to see this show and hopefully be proud of what we did.
Hatirinawa Sigilipu
My Mother’s oldest sister
Kartini Penyami
My Dad’s younger sister
Modero is a community-based group that was founded by Indonesian dance artist Sinta Penyami Storms. Modero started as a dance company in 2011 with the mission to preserve the traditional Indonesian culture through various aspects such as dance, food, fashion, and beyond. Modero is committed to working with the community in order to empower them by creating events revolving around performance arts, food festivals, social issues, art exhibitions, and much more.
Modero FB
https://www.facebook.com/ModeroAndCo
Modero IG
@moderocompany
Modero adalah kelompok berbasis komunitas yang didirikan oleh seniman tari Indonesia, Sinta Penyami Storms. Modero berawal sebagai sanggar tari pada tahun 2011 dengan misi melestarikan budaya tradisional Indonesia melalui berbagai aspek seperti tari, kuliner, fashion, dan seterusnya. Modero berkomitmen untuk bekerjasama dengan komunitas untuk memberdayakan mereka melalui melaksanakan acara seputar seni pertunjukan, festival kuliner, isu social, pameran seni, dan banyak lagi.
Modero FB
https://www.facebook.com/ModeroAndCo
Modero IG
@moderocompany
MAY 22, 2021
A collaboration between Modero & Co and The Bearded Ladies, brought to Fleisher Art Memorial by The Folklore Project, became the perfect marriage of different creative and cultural perspectives. Despite the pandemic, we were all eager to get started with events and activating our outdoor space proved to be the answer. This sold-out performance demonstrated that Philadelphia was ready to emerge from isolation to enjoy the arts.
JUNE 26, 2021
An Alun-Alun is an Indonesian place for public spectacles and celebrations. Fleisher Art Memorial became an alunalun when the Indonesian community brought Indonesia to our doors with music, dance, food, drinks, fashion, karaoke contest, batik demonstration, gamelan performance, and an angklung interactive demonstration.
MAY 2021–MAY 2022
Fleisher Art Memorial and Modero & Co were meant to be together! Opening the doors of our Sanctuary space to weekly community dance lessons was on par with Fleisher’s mission and week after week, Modero activated the Sanctuary with music and dance from Indonesia.
AUGUST 7, 2021
Everyone was invited to celebrate the Indonesian Independence Day Celebration in style. The event, attended by the Indonesian Embassy from Washington DC, featured traditional dances by Modero & Co and a special guest performer from NYC, Luthfi Madjid. The day continued with many food vendors showcasing the diverse cuisine of Indonesia, craft vendors with the wares of the many islands, games, and appearances by local city council members. A fashion show of modern Indonesian designs was a highlight.
After a visit to Fleisher Art Memorial to learn about our history, our spaces, and our collaboration with Modero, The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Washington, D.C. agreed to sponsor Angklung classes for anyone interested in learning about this musical instrument from the Sundanese people in Indonesia.
It was chilly but our hearts were warm with love and ready to celebrate the holidays Indonesian style. The food and the s’mores kept us cozy, the outdoor movie kept the youth entertained, and art activities found both children and their parents exploring their creativity. The beautiful winter sky reminded us that more was to come in 2022.
Irza Hajati of Pecel Ndeso, a local community catering company, is a lways feeding a crowd and thanks to the Free Library of Culinary Center of Philadelphia we were able to record a cooking demonstration of a traditional Indonesian dish: Beef Rendang. Joining the video as co-host is the forever cool Sinta Penyami Storms from Modero & Co.
The end of the year means it’s time to showcase the skills we gained from the many hours of rehearsal. Modero & Co performed many traditional dance sets and thanks to the support of the Indonesian Embassy in D.C. we came together to present a final performance of songs on the angklung.
Our main event might be flawless but the wonderful cast and crew of the Di Hati-Ku production spent the whole summer rehearsing and planning. Organizing such an event requires months of planning and preparation. Everyone was invited to attend our event on August 5, 2022 to witness the first theater production by the Indonesian community and the premiere of Di Hati-Ku (In My Heart), a performance of music and dance.
AUGUST 6, 2022
This time around we are celebrating the East Side of Indonesia, the eastern part of country that is not as well known to the rest of the world. The event featured a flag ceremony, cultural performances, music, games and delicious food. With over 17,000 islands, there’s a lot to discover in Indonesia.
AUGUST
Fleisher Art Memorial Sanctuary space hosts the premiere of Di Hati-Ku. This production tells a tale of culture and identity known to most immigrants living in an intergenerational household. In this instance the story is told through dance, music, and the eyes and hearts of our Indonesian community.
360 Culture Lab partnered Fleisher Art Memorial with collaborators in the Venezuelan and Indonesian communities for a series of experiential place-keeping cultural exhibitions and arts experiences. The project was made possible with the partnership with Modero & Company and Casa de Venezuela Philadelphia and Casa de Venezuela Delaware, local organizations serving the needs of immigrant communities in the Philadelphia and greater region. Through 360 Culture Lab, Fleisher’s spaces, resources, and expertise were placed directly into the hands of immigrant community members as a means to honor, preserve, and share Venezuelan and Indonesian cultural life and traditions. Together, we created a lab for ideas: an arts incubator for new and growing immigrant communities in South Philadelphia and beyond.
From the onset of this project, Fleisher was committed to exploring with our partners new ways to promote the arts through a cultural lens, understanding that art means many different things to individuals from different cultural backgrounds. And with the project taking place during a pandemic, we were presented with tough challenges that required creative solutions in order to engage communities meaningfully. Ultimately, keeping the arts alive was always the priority for everyone involved with 360 Culture Lab, but we also recognized the need to raise awareness about social issues affecting Venezuelan and Indonesian communities through the arts. Through 360 Culture Lab, Fleisher and its communities experienced the power of art in challenging times and witnessed firsthand that art can be a source of hope, resilience, solace, and purpose, makes us stronger as a community.
The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage or The Pew Charitable Trusts.
360 Culture Lab memitrakan Fleisher Art Memorial dengan kolaborator-kolaborator dari komunitas Venezuela dan Indonesia untuk mendirikan serangkaian pameran budaya dan seni yang berkesan. Proyek ini mungkin terjadi melalui kerjasama dengan Modero & Company serta Casa de Venezuela Philadelphia dan Casa de Venezuela Delaware, organisasi lokal yang mewadahi kebutuhan dari komunitas imigran di daerah Philadelphia dan sekitarnya. Melalui 360 Culture Lab, Fleisher memberikan secara langsung tempat, sumber daya, serta keahliannya ke komunitas imigran sebagai bentuk menghormati, melestarikan, dan membagikan kehidupan budaya dan tradisi Venezuela dan Indonesia. Bersama-sama kita mendirikan lab untuk ide: sebuah incubator seni bagi komunitas imigran yang masih daru dan berkembang di daerah Philadelphia Selatan dan diluarnya.
Semenjak awal proyek ini, Fleisher berkomitmen untuk bereksplorasi bersama mitra kami cara-cara baru untuk mempromosikan seni melalui perspektif budaya, memahami bahwa seni memiliki makna yang berbeda untuk individu-individu dari latar belakang budaya berbeda. Karena proyek kami berlangsung selama pandemic, kami menghadapi beberapa tantangan yang memerlukan solusi kreatif untuk melibatkan komunitas secara bermakna. Pada akhirnya, melestarikan seni merupakan prioritas utama bagi
semua yang terlibat dengan 360 Culture
Lab, namun tetap menyadari bahwa kami perlu meningkatkan kesadaran tentang isu social yang berdampak kepada komunitas
Venezuela dan Indonesia melalui seni. Melalui 360 Culture Lab, Fleisher dan komunitas-komunitasnya merasakan kekuatan seni dalam waktu-waktu menantang dan menyaksikan bagaimana seni menjadi sumber harapan, pelipur lara, dan tujuan, serta membuat kita lebih kuat sebagai komunitas.
360 Culture Lab telah didukung oleh
The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage.
Founded in 1898, Fleisher Art Memorial is one of the country’s oldest nonprofit community art schools and we are committed to advancing the vision of our founder, Samuel S. Fleisher, who believed that art is one of society’s greatest assets and equalizers. Fleisher’s mission is to make art accessible to everyone, regardless of economic means, background, or artistic experience and every year, more than 20,000 people experience the transformative power of art by participating in our classes, tuition-free classes, workshops, exhibitions, and community-based programs.
The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage is a multidisciplinary grantmaker and hub for knowledge-sharing, funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, dedicated to fostering a vibrant cultural community in Greater Philadelphia. The Center invests in ambitious, imaginative, and catalytic work that showcases the region’s cultural vitality and enhances public life, and engages in an exchange of ideas concerning artistic and interpretive practice with a broad network of cultural practitioners and leaders.
Didirikan pada tahun 1898, Fleisher Art Memorial merupakan salah satu sekolah komunitas seni nirlaba tertua di negara ini yang berkomitmen untuk menjalankan visi dari pendiri kami, Samuel S. Fleisher, yang memercayai bahwa seni merupakan aset dan penyeimbang terbesar di masyarakat. Misi Fleisher adalah untuk membuat seni mudah diakses oleh semua kalangan, terlepas dari kemampuan ekonomi, latar belakang, ataupun pengalaman kesenian, dimana setiap tahunnya lebih dari 20.000 orang merasakan kemampuan transformatif seni melalui partisipasi dalam kelas kami, kelas bebas biaya, lokakarya, pameran, dan program berbasis komunitas.
The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage merupakan pemberi hibah multidisipliner dan pusat untuk membagi pengetahuan, yang didanai oleh The Pew Charitable Trusts, yang berdedikasi untuk mengembangkan komunitas budaya yang bersemangat di daerah Greater Philadelphia. The Pew Center berinvestasi pada karya yang ambisius, imaginatif, dan katalis, yang menunjukkan kehidupan budaya di daerah tersebut dan meningkatkan kehidupan publik, serta terlibat dalam pertukaran ide tentang praktik kesenian dan interpretatif dengan jaringan praktisi dan pemimpin budaya yang luas.
360 Culture Lab has been supported by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage. Fleisher Art Memorial 719 Catharine Street Philadelphia, PA 19147-2811