“VideoDante # Indonesia” by Instabili Vaganti
After the success of the web theatre series VideoDante # India, Instabili Vaganti theatre company investigates the universe of the Divine Comedy and its relations with Eastern philosophy and spirituality developing the new series VideoDante # Indonesia, which involves dancers and artists of Balinese shadow theatre.
Previewed on March 25 on the occasion of Dantedì, now VideoDante # Indonesia starts with The Lost Way, the first of the seven episodes that will be released on the websites and social channels of Instabili Vaganti and of the Italian Cultural Institute in Jakarta, supporter of the project.
The search for new keys of interpretation of the cantos of the Commedia was conducted in distance by the Company together with Indonesian artists: Made Suteja, traditional Balinese dance performer; Kadek Budi Setiawan, performer and shadow puppeteer, and Elly Eviana, dancer. Original music, too, was created in distance by musician and composer Riccardo Nanni in co-operation with Indian musician Rosemainy Buang.
The Lost Way was made in the "Sala del Mosaico" and other locations of the historical Biblioteca Classense in Ravenna, which preserves manuscript codices, incunabula, rare volumes, and ancient prints, besides modern and contemporary books.
«Getting in touch with the Classense and filming in Ravenna – where exiled Dante was welcome, have been important source of inspiration for us», Anna Dora Dorno and Nicola Pianzola declare. «Through our traditions, which are embodied in the ancient texts, in the poetic words, in the ritual gestures and actions, we found a way out by connecting two worlds that now seem to be very far from each other, just like it was in the past, when distances were enormous and it was not easy to travel from one country to another. So, Balinese dances mixed themselves with the illustrations of the precious books in the Classense library, and the "Sala del Mosaico" became our “dark wood” to be crossed by mean of dream and imagination».
The web series VideoDante # Indonesia is part of Instabili Vaganti’s wider project dedicated to the “Sommo Poeta” which is included among the ones proposed by Emilia-Romagna Region in the "DANTE 700 in the World" celebration programme promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The series runs until October: the updated calendar of next episodes on Instabili Vaganti's website.
