Djoko Waluyo: How Can I Explain Feeling? (interview)

Djoko Waluyo reflects on a lifetime in Javanese arts, from early exposure near the Surakarta court to directing groups in the U.S. He describes learning through family mentorship, developing a gender style guided by context and character, and teaching challenges—especially conveying rasa and pathet to non-Javanese students. Waluyo contrasts audiences and institutional climates across regions, noting obstacles to staging large works. He also discusses his creative process, drawing on nature, theater, and lived experience to craft new pieces.