Indonesian movement artist Suprapto Suryodarmo (Prapto) was born in Solo, Central Java, in 1945. He has studied free movement, Vipassana and Javanese Sumarah meditation since 1970, placing these practices in the nature, temple and human field. He was initiated into Javanese Theravadin Buddhism in 1974 and created a new ritual art that he called “Wayang Buddha” (Buddha’s Shadow-Puppet). In 1986, Prapto established his own school, Padepokan Lemah Putih, a uniquely landscaped garden in Mojosongo, just north of Solo, where he offers a series of month-long workshops. The main intention of his Joged Amerta movement work is to develop a way to lessen the sense of identification through the practice of movement arts. Hence, it is more than an approach to improvisation; it is a practice cultivating an attitude towards life. In 1997, Prapto initiated Sharing Movement circulation in Europe, Asia, the Americas and Australia; and Web Art Garden, a worldwide network of artists and presenting organisations. He has taught and performed in Indonesia, Europe, the UK, Australia, the USA, Mexico, Japan, India and the Philippines for over twenty-five years. Stephen Hopkins
Image: Suprapto Suryodarmo, Bali, Indonesia, 28 March 2008, © Stephen Hopkins
