KABA Festival V 2018
KABA Festival was initiated by Ery Mefri (Founder and Artistic Director of Nan Jombang Dance Company)in 2014.
In 2018, KABA Festival is entering its 5th year. At the beginning, KABA Festival was fully self-organized and self-funded by Nan Jombang Dance Company. It wassupported by five artists from West Sumatra, who also established “Galombang Minangkabau” community. They were Ery Mefri (Nan Jombang Dance Company), S Metron Masdison (Ranah Performing Arts Company), Joni Andra (Impessa Dance Company), Hasanawi (Langkok Grup), and Irmun Krisman (Parewa Limo Suku). These five artistic groups represent three genres of dance, music, and theater, which are rooted from Minangkabau tradition. “The artists of West Sumatra have a lot of potentials. However, they haven’t got the chance to be seen, exposed, and acknowledge by the world. That is the chance KABA Festival is eager to give to the artists,” says Ery Mefri.
“The process of art cannot instantly be done only in one or two months. There is a long and continual process for years for the art to be well-prepared and enjoyed,” says Ery Mefri, the Head of Galombang Minangkabau Community. This continual process becomes the characteristics of the artists who will be involved in KABA Festival.In Minangkabau, art is a ‘pamenan anak nagari’ (entertainment of Minangkabau people). Performing arts is not simply to fulfil the needs of a festival alone. Through KABA Festival, it is expected for the artists to always eager to be creative, to produce arts, and to always perform their arts anywhere. Thus, this is the time to begin a platform for performing arts, held by the artists themselves.
This year, KABA Festival V (2018) is hosted in Ladang Tari Nan Jombang, and we restore and reflect back the journey throughout 60 35 30 program. Qoutes Exhibitionof 60 years Ery Mefri , 35 years carreer of Nan Jombang Dance Company, and Photographs Exhibition of 30 years Nan Jombang Dance Company hosting a Performing Arts Festival.
KABA Festival V (2018) will be held in 26 November – 2 Desember 2018, with the participants from Indonesia, Japan, Sweden, France, Netherland and Australia. Through this chance, KABA Festival V also cooperates with Platform Indonesiana, Ministry of Education and Culture Republic of Indonesia in the program of Silek Arts Festival, Department of Culture of West Sumatra, and supported by BEKRAF and Bakti Budaya Djarum Foundation.