Ronggeng Singapura: Early Stages of Dance Revivalism and Activism

Abstract

This paper is an autoethnographic and action research documentation of an initiative by a newly formed collective ‘Arki-Gen’ that is made up of artists, researchers, and educators. Their project, Ronggeng Revival: Ground Sensing Phase 1, aims to revive the social practice of a music/dance form through conducting research, documenting and formulating a training curriculum. Through the focus group discussions with four selected segments of the arts community, Ronggeng still bears the taboo and stereotypes of social histories. As an initial phase, this project is part of a larger expectation to create a community of Ronggeng activism and the eventual integration of Ronggeng to be an Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). This paper supports the need to recognise the social aspects of Ronggeng as a choreomusicological practice, and as part of a Nusantara revival movement.