Sardono Kusomo: a world without boundaries (interview)

Sardono Waluyo Kusumo, born in Surakarta in 1945, is a pioneering choreographer and performer whose work bridges traditional and experimental forms. After early training in classical Javanese dance, he became a principal dancer in the Ramayana Dance Drama at Prambanan. His creative practice is rooted in extensive ethnographic engagement, including research in Minangkabau, Batak, Aceh, Dayak, and other regions. He has taught at the Jakarta Institute of the Arts (IKJ), eventually becoming Vice President. Known for his long-form, site-engaged choreographies, Sardono directed the Indonesia Group EXPO '86 and played a key role in organizing the First International Gamelan Festival in Vancouver. This interview was conducted during his stay in Canada in 1986.