"Gamelan music has actually been used as background music in several Hollywood films, such as Avatar and Star Trek, also in Super Mario Bros game. But we have to keep promoting it so that more people in the world will know that gamelan is Indonesian traditional music," Livi Zheng said on the sidelines of the "Guinness World Record of Poco-poco Dance" at the National Monument (Monas) Square, here on Sunday.
Livi, who was born in Blitar (East Java) 29 years ago said her latest film titled "Bali: Beats of Paradise" tells about gamelan music. Gamelan is the traditional ensemble music from Java and Bali which predominantly consists of percussive instruments.
The film was inspired from an article published in the leading United States mass media, Los Angeles Time, which discussed gamelan music in Avatar directed by James Cameron.
In "Bali: Beats of Paradise", Livi featured guitar playing by I Wayan Balawan, a Balinese musician who is well-known for his "double neck" guitar.
"In this film I also collaborated with Grammy-winning artists, Judith Hill and famous film and music editor, Norman Hollyn," Livi explained, adding that "Bali: Beats of Paradise" is expected to premiere in October 2018 in the U.S.
According to Livi, there are many ways to promote Indonesia to the world community, some of which are through film, music and cultural activities.
"I am proud to be an Indonesian. Indonesia is amazing. We have 17,000 islands and hundreds of ethnic groups who live in harmony," she said.
She further added that besides gamelan, Poco-poco dance from North Sulawesi should also be promoted to the international world because it is one of Indonesia`s cultural wealth.
The Poco-poco dance record-breaking event involved 65,000 participants, consisting of members of the Indonesian Armed Forces, the Indonesian Police, ministries and institutions, as well as students and community groups.
The Guinness World Records sent their senior staff, Paulina Sapinska, from its headquarters in London, England as a judge along with a number of stewards to oversee the breaking world record.
The Poco-poco gymnastics world record is also aimed at promoting the 2018 Asian Games. The traditional dance from North Sulawesi will be displayed at the opening of the 2018 Asian Games on August 18.
After the world record breaking event, Livi Zheng received an award from the Indonesian Ministry of Youth and Sports as an Ambassador to Traditional Sport Promotion in the United States / Great Youth (a diaspora who shakes the world).
Reported by Libertina Widyamurti Ambari
Edited by Andi Abdussalam
Reporter: Libertina Widyamurti Ambari
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
