Sisa-Sisa

Alfira, born in Perth of Acehnese-Irish descent, is a dance artist who specialises in traditional andcontemporary Indonesian music and dance. In 2001, Alfira founded Suara Indonesia Dance. Hereducational repertoire includes studying at the Institute of the Arts Yogyakarta and Surakarta(Central Java). In Aceh (North Sumatra) she researched and trained under master instructors inAcehnese sitting dances which are rhythmical body percussion dances, accompanied bydevotional Islamic melodic songs. She holds a degree in International Studies (UNSW) and anHonours in Indonesian Studies at Sydney University, completing a thesis on the history andsignificance of Acehnese body percussion sitting dances.Alfira performs as a solo artist as well as with her dance troupeat national and internationalfestivals. Notably, her artistic contribution goes beyond pure entertainment. Alfira is a modesthumanitarian who has spent time in Palestine, teaching body percussion dances in refugeecamps as a method of trauma relief (2010). She has also been to Papua New Guinea in theGoroka highlands to teach workshops in villages (2011). In Aceh, 2006, she monitored trauma-healing programs that taught traditional dance to victims of the 2004 tsunami and 30-yearconflict in Aceh. Preserving and honouring her cultural heritage through dance is a key objectiveof Alfira's and subsequently her dance group have taught Indonesian dance workshops inhundreds of schools across Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia and Europe.She has collaborated with a number of Indonesian and Australian contemporary musicensembles and artists including:Lyn Williams AMand theGondwana Choirs, ContemporaryAsian Australian Performance(CAAP)the late Slamet Gundono, Rendra Freestone &The RhythmHunters, Agung Gunawan, Sawung Jabo,Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal,Wei Zen Hoand earlier thisyear premiered Bunyi Bunyi Bumi at Asia TOPA with Murtala and Waangenga Blanco, co-directedby Raymond Blanco and Priya Srinavasa produced by Blakdance.

Alfira, born in Perth of Acehnese-Irish descent, is a dance artist who specialises in traditional andcontemporary Indonesian music and dance. In 2001, Alfira founded Suara Indonesia Dance. Hereducational repertoire includes studying at the Institute of the Arts Yogyakarta and Surakarta(Central Java). In Aceh (North Sumatra) she researched and trained under master instructors inAcehnese sitting dances which are rhythmical body percussion dances, accompanied bydevotional Islamic melodic songs. She holds a degree in International Studies (UNSW) and anHonours in Indonesian Studies at Sydney University, completing a thesis on the history andsignificance of Acehnese body percussion sitting dances.Alfira performs as a solo artist as well as with her dance troupeat national and internationalfestivals. Notably, her artistic contribution goes beyond pure entertainment. Alfira is a modesthumanitarian who has spent time in Palestine, teaching body percussion dances in refugeecamps as a method of trauma relief (2010). She has also been to Papua New Guinea in theGoroka highlands to teach workshops in villages (2011). In Aceh, 2006, she monitored trauma-healing programs that taught traditional dance to victims of the 2004 tsunami and 30-yearconflict in Aceh. Preserving and honouring her cultural heritage through dance is a key objectiveof Alfira's and subsequently her dance group have taught Indonesian dance workshops inhundreds of schools across Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia and Europe.She has collaborated with a number of Indonesian and Australian contemporary musicensembles and artists including:Lyn Williams AMand theGondwana Choirs, ContemporaryAsian Australian Performance(CAAP)the late Slamet Gundono, Rendra Freestone &The RhythmHunters, Agung Gunawan, Sawung Jabo,Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal,Wei Zen Hoand earlier thisyear premiered Bunyi Bunyi Bumi at Asia TOPA with Murtala and Waangenga Blanco, co-directedby Raymond Blanco and Priya Srinavasa produced by Blakdance.Alfira, born in Perth of Acehnese-Irish descent, is a dance artist who specialises in traditional and contemporary Indonesian music and dance. In 2001, Alfira founded Suara Indonesia Dance. Her educational repertoire includes studying at the Institute of the Arts Yogyakarta and Surakarta (Central Java). In Aceh (North Sumatra) she researched and trained under master instructors in Acehnese sitting dances which are rhythmical body percussion dances, accompanied by devotional Islamic melodic songs. She holds a degree in International Studies (UNSW) and an Honours in Indonesian Studies at Sydney University, completing a thesis on the history and significance of Acehnese body percussion sitting dances.

Alfira performs as a solo artist as well as with her dance troupe at national and international festivals. Notably, her artistic contribution goes beyond pure entertainment. Alfira is a modest humanitarian who has spent time in Palestine, teaching body percussion dances in refugee camps as a method of trauma relief (2010). She has also been to Papua New Guinea in the Goroka highlands to teach workshops in villages (2011). In Aceh, 2006, she monitored trauma-healing programs that taught traditional dance to victims of the 2004 tsunami and 30-year conflict in Aceh. Preserving and honouring her cultural heritage through dance is a key objective of Alfira's and subsequently her dance group have taught Indonesian dance workshops in hundreds of schools across Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia and Europe.

She has collaborated with a number of Indonesian and Australian contemporary music ensembles and artists including: Lyn Williams AM and the Gondwana Choirs, Contemporary Asian Australian Performance (CAAP) the late Slamet Gundono, Rendra Freestone & The Rhythm Hunters, Agung Gunawan, Sawung Jabo, Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal, Wei Zen Ho and earlier this year premiered Bunyi Bunyi Bumi at Asia TOPA with Murtala and Waangenga Blanco, co-directed by Raymond Blanco and Priya Srinavasa produced by Blakdance.

Originally from Aceh in North Sumatra, is a well known choreographer in Indonesia, and one of only a few people in Aceh who holds a Masters in dance. Since the age of eleven, he has trained under traditional teachers in Banda Aceh, and was one of the last generations to practice sitting body percussion dances as a Sufi practice. Today, these dances are practiced and performed for entertainment. His primary specialty is in Acehnese body percussion dances, sitting dances and Rapai Geleng - a group sitting dance using Rapai frame drums. Murtala is frequently interviewed as a scholarly reference. Having also trained in West Sumatra, he has learnt and mastered other Sumatran dances and Randai (a form of traditional theater, where dancers wear galembong pants which they use to create rhythmical patterns, as well as using their bodies creating tapuak galembong.)

In the immediate aftermath of the tsunami in Aceh 2004, Murtala returned to his homeland to work on the emergency relief effort. Whilst in the Aceh, he undertook a number of roles and responsibilities in the area of evacuation and logistics. He furthered his contribution by establishing a local NGO where he taught traditional dance, as well as training the teachers of tsunami and conflict victims. He was Director of the NGO until 2006. He went on to study Masters in Dance in Central Java Indonesia and has since traveled around Indonesia and to Australia, Europe, Fiji and Singapore where he has taught Acehnese dance and music to primary school, high school and university students. Murtala is a frequent performer at various festivals around Australia, taught choirs, acted in theater and film. He has a Bachelor of Performing Arts majoring in traditional dance from the Institute of the Arts, Padang Panjang, West Sumatra, Indonesia and holds a Masters of Dance Choreography from the Institute of the Arts Surakarta.

As a choreographer, writer and dancer, Murtala's works includes;

• Gelumbang Raya, development in Aceh 2025
• Bunyi Bunyi Bumi, co-devised for Asia TOPA premiere 2025
• Opening ceremony of PKA -5 The Aceh International Art and Culture Exhibition where he choreographed more than 500 dancers in Aceh's main stadium with Kaka in 2009
• Rantau (journey undertaken by Sumatran men) Belvoir St theatre, Sydney for Coolie, Asian Australian festival Feb 2011
• Rampak Aceh (2007) in Solo & Sydney
• Perkangku Kaki (2005) in Aceh & Padang Panjang
• Hantu hutan, tahun tuhan (2004) in Padang Panjang
• He has also published a book on New Creation dances, titled "Tari Aceh: Yuslizar & Kreasi Yang Mentradisi " (2008)