26 — 30.05.2025
For years, Try Anggara’s mother ran a small restaurant serving rice wrapped in folded leaves. As a child, he mastered the folding technique, a gesture of labour etched into his body. Today, as a self-taught dancer, he brings this memory to the stage in Dibungkus ('Wrapped'), Level 5.
Alone at first, Try Anggara speaks to the audience like customers or viewers of a tutorial. He demonstrates the folding technique, which evolves into a refined choreography. Folds of the leaves become folds of the body until his movements ripple out to four other dancers on stage. Together, they fold, throw, and pass rags and newspapers, tracing lines through space. Their gestures transform into a hypnotic, silent dance that draws us into a meditative state.
This is the magic of Dibungkus, Level 5, where frenetic energy meets contemplative dance. The balance of chaos and calm embodies the rhythm of Jakarta, its public life, and political discussions. Newspapers reference politics, and the act of throwing is a critique of Indonesia’s populism that uses food as a band-aid solution while deeper structural issues go ignored. A small gem, presented for the first time outside Indonesia, not to be missed.
Dibungkus, Level 5: Background, perspective, and concept
About family
The background of my family is the most important aspect in the creation of Dibungkus, Level 5. I have parents who are of pure Minangkabau descent. The term Minangkabau refers to people born in the Padang region of West Sumatra, Indonesia. My parents migrated and chose Jakarta as the place to seek a living, try their luck, and build a family. Both of my parents are entrepreneurs, or more specifically, traders, each having their own business. My father is a used car salesman, while my mother sells Padang cuisine and runs a small eatery in front of our house.
This is what has given me many experiences and lessons through my family, which were recorded throughout their lives, shaping my character and perspective on life up until today. My father was very interested in politics, which led me, as a child, to absorb this interest through the political news broadcast on television, which my father always watched. Meanwhile, with my mother, I developed a deep love for food.
About Jakarta
The density of Jakarta is a tangible reality. As the capital of the Republic of Indonesia, Jakarta is divided into five administrative cities and one administrative regency, covering a total area of 662.33 km². This makes the city a meeting point and gathering place for various ethnic groups, cultures, and characteristics from all over Indonesia.
The main reason for Jakarta’s high population density is urbanization, where many people from rural areas move to Jakarta, influenced by news on television or mass media about the high income levels in the city.
About wrapped rice
The harsh demands of life in Jakarta make people spend a lot of time outside their homes, which leads them to act in a way that is both ‘fast’ and ‘practical’ in meeting their needs. This also applies to food vendors, who must provide something that is ‘quick’ and ‘practical’ and can be served immediately to customers.
One of the serving methods that has existed from the past to the present is wrapping food in paper. This method of food presentation is commonly referred to as nasi bungkus (‘wrapped rice’). Its quick and practical way of serving food makes nasi bungkus a perfect choice in Indonesia, especially in large cities like Jakarta. For some groups of people, nasi bungkus might be considered an old-fashioned, non-modern, and possibly unhygienic way of serving food. This has led to nasi bungkus being associated with lower-income communities.
Coming from a family with a background in small-scale food business, I am no stranger to the process of wrapping rice. It is through this rice-wrapping process that I began to see many things beyond just the act of wrapping.
In the process of wrapping rice, I can observe a sense of calm and sincerity in the people of Jakarta. It even feels quite meditative to me. From my perspective, this is deeply connected to the way Jakarta’s people live, enduring and surviving daily amidst the hustle, chaos, and heavy demands of life in the city. They don’t overcomplicate things, nor do they have any other agenda than to survive within it. The process of wrapping rice into a nasi bungkus aligns perfectly with the conditions of life in Jakarta.
This is what inspired me in Dibungkus, Level 5: discussing a phenomenon of Jakarta through something so simple yet so meaningful.
About politic
My memory of the rice-wrapping process did not suddenly appear without reason. There was, of course, something that triggered my deep unease at that time. The situation that led to this feeling was the simultaneous general election for the legislative, judicial, and executive branches across Indonesia, particularly the presidential election. This event indirectly divided society, as people became split in their choices.
What I observed at that time was that the situation in Indonesia, especially in Jakarta, was chaotic. However, this chaos was not directly visible or obvious—it was more of an underlying tension beneath the surface, making the atmosphere feel calm yet chaotic at the same time. On the other hand, the presidential candidates and their teams were all showing their strength through ideas, programs, and attempts to gather as many votes as possible from the people.
I noticed several times during presidential elections that candidates tend to win public sympathy through social assistance, such as money, food, and other basic necessities. This method seems to be the most effective because the impact is immediate and tangible for the people. It is also very “appealing” because it captures the attention of society quickly and directly.
It was this situation that sparked my unease and led to many questions and thoughts. I noticed that the public didn’t care much about the narrative or intentions behind the distribution of social aid, food, or other necessities provided by the presidential candidates. The people simply accepted these gifts to meet their daily needs without questioning the motive behind them.
About Dibungkus, Level 5
For me, who grew up in Jakarta, the activity of wrapping rice in food stalls has become a core memory and a tie-in to talk about many things. Wrapped rice is very close as a metaphor for the urban living space and the middle- to lower-class people packed together and having to do anything in tight spaces to survive in it. Wrapping rice in food stalls is more than just dexterity, but linked to self-representation and soul reflection.
Wrapping rice is an endless training, where someone hones inner tranquility while demanding neatness, swiftness, and effectivity.
Dibungkus, Level 5 explores a familiar activity that contains unique movement vocabulary bringing a complex reflection on self, soul, and its living space. If wrapping rice is a reflection of the soul, then the practice of wrapping rice becomes a practice of self-management. From this perspective, I view both the rice wrapping and the act itself as a metaphor for a person who continuously strives to understand, improve, and expand their own capacities. There is no easy practice—there are always ups and downs—but each time we practice, something changes. Little by little, by training the body, we should elevate the soul to the next level.
- Try Anggara, April 2025
Presentation: Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Théâtre Océan Nord
Choreographer: Try Anggara | Dancers: Menthari Ashia, Savika Refa Zahira, Niear Syahrani Putri, Dios Marani | Lighting designer: Maharani Pane | Production manager: Diliani | Artistic advice and collaboration: Regina Audrey Ivana Zakariah
Production: Try Anggara, Caecilia Dilli, Regina Audrey Ivana Zakariah | Coproduction and presenting partners: Indonesian Dance Festival, Tainan Arts Festival (Taiwan)
Rehearsals supported by the Dance Department, Faculty of Performing Arts – Jakarta Institute of the Arts
