Singo Wiromo helps dancers stay connected to their culture while introducing Hongkongers to their stories.
The dancers of Singo Wiromo dress for a performance in Victoria Park. Photo: Kathryn GiordanoEvery week, Talking Points gives you a worksheet to practise your reading comprehension with exercises about the story we’ve written.
A man twirls and leaps, wearing a heavy mask nearly twice his height.
The crowd of nearly one hundred people cheers and claps. They are amazed by the dancers of Singo Wiromo performing their carefully crafted routine in Victoria Park.
None of these men and women are professional dancers. But you can’t tell from their intricate moves.
Singo Wiromo is an Indonesian dance group. It comprises around 20 men and women. Most of the women work as domestic helpers, while many of the men are drivers. The group looks to stay connected to their heritage and introduce Hong Kong to traditional Indonesian dance.
“We feel very proud and excited because we can bring our culture [here] and show people,” members of the group said.
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Culture and connections
Singo Wiromo was established in October 2015. It is sponsored by the Indonesian government and the Indonesian consulate.
“[We began Singo Wiromo] because we love our home of East Java, Indonesia,” said Lintang, 32. She has been living in Hong Kong for a decade. “We need to keep our culture with us. We need to explore this culture with international people.”
Singo Wiromo also uses props and elaborate costumes to tell its stories. Some of these props include large lion head masks and cardboard horses.
“It makes me very happy and excited [to introduce these dances to Hongkongers],” said Dilla, aged 40. “This is a traditional dance from Indonesia, so we can come to other places – like Hong Kong – and show it.”
The dancers of Singo Wiromo said they enjoy taking part in citywide events. One of their favourites is the annual Hong Kong Flower Show. The event takes place every March in Victoria Park and always draws big crowds. It gives the dancers and their traditional East Java dancing more exposure.
Dedication and bonding
It can be tough for the members of Singo Wiromo to find time in their busy schedules to rehearse. Many of them are domestic helpers. They often work 10 hours daily, six days per week. Their only day off is Sunday, so it is dedicated to dance practice.
“It’s not easy to get involved. Every Sunday, we need to come and stay at least half a day,” Dilla said.
They also must move their props to and from the Indonesian consulate. Although it is nearby, some of the costumes can be heavy. One mask even weighs 15kg.
They practise from around 2pm to 6pm, taking inspiration from Indonesian dances on YouTube.
Spending so much time together means the group has built strong friendships. The dancers chat and laugh together when they are not practising.
A woman named Katmini is lovingly called the “mother” of the group. Though she does not dance, she oversees the group’s progress and meetings. She was quick to call the dancers her family.
“This is my first family in Hong Kong. Because we separated from our real family, we have created a family here. [No matter] how happy we are, how sad we are, we have to do it together.”
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