Flash Mob Kraton Jogja — Sanggar Lestari

You may recall from our MSO & Yogya Youth Music Camp performance blog post last week, that Sanggar Lestari, along with 3 artists from Yogyakarta & KJRI Melbourne had a little something special brewing for you all to be prepared for. Well, clears throat just over 1 week later, the whole team managed to pull together an amazing cultural performance in Melbourne city, and we could not be prouder of everybody involved!

The initial meeting between KJRI Melbourne, 3 Artists from Yogyakarta & Sanggar Lestari.

So let’s start from the beginning shall we!

In June earlier this year, Mataya Flash Mob (MFM) KHP Kridhomardowo Keraton Yogyakarta successfully held flash mobs in Jakarta and Yogyakarta to welcome the Catur Sagatra event - an annual dance performance of the successors of the Mataram Dynasty held in the Palace Hall of Keraton Yogyakarta. #FLASHMOBKRATONJOGJA

Mas Jalu Pamungkas from Yogyakarta, came to us and asked Sanggar Lestari to collaborate with him to replicate this Flash Mob in Melbourne City to help spread the Javanese culture outside of Indonesia. The catch - We had 1 week to find performers, learn the dance and perform it in public. Challenge Accepted!

We wasted no time, and got to work straight away by rounding up the crew and getting everybody to watch and learn the dance in their own time. KJRI Melbourne were kind enough to lend us their space to conduct our one and only rehearsal with the entire group 2 days before the big day. It was all systems go as we all worked together to scout locations, learn choreography, work out costumes, and get the camera men ready to capture the day.

Rehearsals at KJRI Melbourne with Mas Jalu Pamungkas

Hari H - Flash Mob Day

After a couple of cold and gloomy Melbourne spring days, the sun finally came out to greet us, and mother nature sure chose the perfect day to come out and play! The news was finally out. Buset Magazine somehow got word and started the buzz first on social media, while we all played it cool in our costumes, pretending not to know each other out on the streets. We had most of our group dress in their usual day-to-day work uniforms, which gave us a range of different outfits from nurses, to chefs, mums with bubs… we even had a pantomime! We’re so proud to be such a diverse group, and this day really showed how diverse our group really is. Not only are we diverse in our cultural backgrounds and beliefs, but also in our occupations.

We called our friends at 76m Films in to work together with KJRI Melbourne and make sure all angles of the flash mob were documented for the final video, and we were off. 3PM hit, the music was on and the cameras were rolling.

Mas Jalu started off the flash mob by walking over the bridge on Queensbridge St and stopped by the pedestrian crossing to start dancing traditional Javanese movements, we all jumped in one by one causing the pedestrians to stop and watch in amusement as they crossed the street with their families and friends. Then just like that, 10 minutes was up, the music stopped and we all walked off going separate ways as if nothing had ever happened. SUCCESS! We were all so pumped, we decided to cross the road and perform the flash mob a second time in front of the red stairs at Queensbridge Square, where a couple of onlookers also joined in and danced with us.

Of course, the day wouldn’t be complete without a little Maumere line dancing and ‘foto bersama’ on the side. We finished off the day by heading to Crown and enjoying lunch together, to congratulate each other on a successful day and also to sadly say goodbye to our new favourite Javanese boys Mas Jalu, Iqbal & Rizki. It’s been short and sweet with these beautiful souls, I’m sure this won’t be the last time we meet, and it definitely won’t be our last collaboration together.

Have a safe trip back home to Yogyakarta boys, and a big thank you to everybody who contributed to making the flash mob possible!

Videography team: 76m Films & KJRI Melbourne with Jalu Pamungkas