Warning scares Indian dancer away from Palu

Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu

Indian classical dancer Nandini Krishna, who was scheduled to perform at the International Peace Day event in Palu, Central Sulawesi, on Sept. 11, has canceled after receiving a travel warning from her country.

"We apologize to the public in Palu for Ms. Nandini Krishna's absence. This was not premeditated, however her country has issued her a travel warning regarding Palu."

Krishna's absence will be a disappointment as event organizers expected her to inspire her audience to "preserve arts and culture in order to promote peace," according to organizing committee head Syahriar Labelo.

Syahriar said that Palu and the surrounding areas were free of conflict and that any negative perception of the area was undeserved.

"As proof, the event wrapped up at 3:00 a.m. with the traditional Dero performance and nothing untoward happening," said Syahriar.

Syahriar said Krishna had taken part in similar events in numerous countries and had performed for television stations and documentary films. She won an award for performing in a Japanese film titled Fukai Kawa.

Besides Indonesia, Krishna has performed in Singapore and Germany, and was granted a national scholarship by the Indian Cultural Department in 1990 to learn the Bharata Natyam dance. She was chosen by the Indian government, through the Indian Cultural Commission, to teach this dance at the newly-established Indian Cultural Center in Bali.

She has also staged shows in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Batam and Bali and performances combining elements of Balinese and Indian dance.

For the past three years the classical dancer has been invited to the annual Bali Cultural Week. Krishna's art has also been seen by viewers of Bali Vision, a program broadcast by state-run TVRI.

She has taught traditional Indian dance to many students in Indonesia.

Participants in the Palu peace event enjoyed dance performances, films and photo exhibitions and a peace seminar at Tadulako University.

One highlight was the Torompio dance, performed by dancers from Poso. The performance was intended to depict cultural diversity and Indonesia's "unity in diversity".