Uluwatu and Bali Timur.
South island is beautiful for its sunsets, ocean views, and surf spots, but I couldn’t help but notice how the island has changed since I was last there pre-pandemic. This was our last major stop together and it felt the most touristic of all the cities. This was where I was most mistaken for a local and I had some pretty hilarious interactions with Gojek drivers. Everywhere we’ve been, we try to seek a local experience so we can understand the culture around us. To be honest, that was a bit harder in Uluwatu. Much of the “culture” was centred around tourism, which is totally fine and unavoidable. We are tourists ourselves and seeing how much the island has changed has really made me think about how we travel. So let’s all try to travel responsibly and respectfully.
Ubud, Bali.
Didn’t really know what to expect from Ubud. All we knew ahead of arriving was that Ubud is cultural centre for traditional arts in Bali. So we tried to absorb any and all Balinese gamelan, arts or dance while there. Ubud left us feeling nourished and inspired by the local commitment to preserve its culture. Ubud is so beautiful and it needs to be protected.
Special thanks to @ayuuswandewi@sanggar_cudamani@genggong_kutus@ranggipalguna@gamelan_salukat for welcoming us and letting us into your homes to learn and observe. Dari lubuk hati kami, terimah kasih banyak 🙏🏼 Sampai kita ketemu lagi.
Yogyakarta, Central Java.
Jogja is such a fascinating city. Beautifully rich with Javanese culture, we learned a lot about the fight for independence and diversity amongst the Hindu, Bhuddist and Muslim religions here. You can see the imprint of the colonial times through the architecture mixed with the lasting presence of the old kingdom. We also had some of the best satay klathak I’ve ever had - that’s satay with up-cycled bike spokes for skewers. Also, shoutout to the Bapak at the wayang studio who insisted on explaining the wayang making process in French.
Pangandaran, West Java.
One full day in Pangandaran, simply not enough time. I remember being a child here, catching tadpoles and playing on the beach. Now, I come as an adult, not much has changed. Some things have. Visiting the place of your ancestors will remind you of your distant family and where you come from. Pangandaran will always hold a special place in my heart.
Incredibly grateful to have learned Jaipong techniques from such skilled dancers. I’m familiar with other traditional Indonesian dance forms but now it’s time to tap into my Sundanese heritage. What an experience! I still have a lot to learn and practice 😁😅 Terimah kasih banyak @sanggarputriayu@nabilaiintania 🙏🏼💗✨
Tari Pendet at the Hadden Park Fieldhouse.
My first attempt at Balinese dance with live @gamelanbike_bike and @srikandi.dancers . Learning this style of dance was exciting, challenging, technical, and wholesome. I really loved the entire process, from understanding the foundation to harvesting wild roses and getting dressed. There is so much I know I can improve but the only thing that will do that is time and practice.
Grateful to all of my circles of friends who continue to support me on my dance journey 🙏🏼🫶🏼🌸
📸 First two pics by @yoheishimomae
Gelang Ro’om solo at the Fox Cabaret.
Gelang Ro’om is a new dance piece inspired by the culture of the Madura people, depicting the behavior of young girls transitioning into adulthood. It is typically performed in an ensemble, but in this case, solo.
This was my first solo performance EVER, for the @diasporic.dynasty API Heritage Night. The crowd was intimate and incredible supportive, as I tried to muster the energy of @srikandi.dancers alone. But representing Indonesian culture in spaces like this is what we love to do. It feeds my soul.
Grateful for the opportunity and will continue to discover more about my Indonesian heritage through dance.
Event hosted by @diasporic.dynasty
Photos by @kellirp
Costume by moi 💁🏻♀️
Me entering my performer era 🔥✨
Throwback to the @ketch.di.vybz 10 year anniversary show that I was to blessed to be a part of. This moment captured by @hedonisticeric is the freest I’ve felt in a long time.
Never in my life did I expect to become a dance performer. I’ve always LOVED dance, admiring from afar and believed that dancers were of a different breed. But after only really dancing for 2 years, I realized that, I too, can be amongst them. Not to mention that dance is so deeply ingrained in my culture (and so many others), it’s about time it comes out.
This past spring has been an artistic awakening for me. I thank everyone who has supported on this journey.
Get ready for more dance content to come 💃🏻
Shoutout to @mina_nami and @jordynemaya who look 🔥🔥🔥
#dance #dancelife #artist #performance
2023 was a big year of change for me. Here are some highlights and lessons:
✨Be present. We do not do this enough. Being present will help you recognize the blessings in your life, thus enjoying life so much more. Dance has helped me be more present.
✨ Leaving my stable job. Breaking from the 9-5 is REALLY hard and takes courage. It pretty much took the whole year to recalibrate your mind and body, eliminating almost all of my chronic health problems related to stress.
✨ Sunset skiing. What privilege to see such a view atop a snowy mountain.
✨ Got a brokers license. Most people are not equipped with the financial literacy they need to build a prosperous future ~ whatever that means. So, taking a course on personal finance helped me reframe generational trauma surrounding money. I hope to help others do the same.
✨ Work at a farm. Volunteering at a farm once a week made a huge impact on the quality of food we were eating, not to mention reducing our grocery bill. I hear a lot of people talk about how they want to own land and grow their own food. Growing food is not easy, even on the smallest scale. It requires the ability to notice your surroundings, connect to the land we live on, and knowing how to deal with abundance. It can be generous and disappointing at the same time. It will take me decades of experience to get right.
✨ Start sewing. I’ve always wanted to design bags or technical gear. So I learned how to operate 3 types of industrial sewing machines and started making custom bike gear @bawa.bike.bags . Stem bag pattern reference by @learnmyog
✨ Completed an epic bike trip with @becik_channel around the Sunshine Coast and down Vancouver Island. There was one particularly hard day, but I made it through.
✨ Dinner on the beach. Did you know we have white sand beaches in Canada?
✨Watched one of my dearest friends get married. I’m grateful to have such wonderful people around me. @mistermusicvan
✨Had my 33rd birthday dinner with my parents. First time I’ve spent my birthday with them since I was a teenager.
Blessed to be alive. Ready to start 2024.
August Bike Camp pt 1. 🌄🏕️🚵🏽♀️
We took the first couple BAWA prototypes on a “chill” yet long trip up the Sunshine Coast, browsed a couple islands and then down Vancouver Island.
Our goal was to see how the bags would fair on our 2-week journey, and honestly, pretty great! The bags endured rain, a couple falls, some water taxis and a lot of snacks! Top tube and snack bag were essential for easily accessible treats, sunscreen, tissues, chapstick, and sun glasses. Half frame bag held our tent poles and all of our emergency supplies.
Super happy with them considering that these were just prototypes! Knowing that your prototypes perform well is a great sign.
#bikegear #bikecamping #longdistance #myogear #customframebag #custom #gear #handmadebikebags #deadstockfabric #apparelstudio #vancouver #westcoast #adventure
