Jarum dalam Jerami (Needle in a Haystack) (2022) is contemporary choreographer Hartati’s powerful response to Indonesia’s evolving social landscape over the past two decades. Rooted in the legacy of her mentor Gusmiati Suid’s renowned Api Dalam Sekam (Fire in the Husk) (1997), a piece that reflects the turbulent political climate in Indonesia during the final years of the New Order regime under President Suharto, Jarum dalam Jerami goes beyond mere homage, creating a dialogue with the older work in a reflection of what is left behind when the world shifts around us.

Reinterpreting the saying “like looking for a needle in a haystack,” Hartati shifts the focus to what happens when we finally uncover that needle, constructing a framework to understanding contemporary realities in the aftermath of the New Order’s collapse in 1998. In a world buzzing with progress, the smallest yet most crucial details often slip past us, leaving us grappling with the unsettling consequences of ignoring these quiet, essential forces once excess fades.

Jarum dalam Jerami interrupts the euphoric celebrations of freedom post-New Order, urging us to slow down and recognise the subtle forces shaping our reality. Through intricate movement, Hartati captures the tension between excess and the unspoken, inviting us to reconsider the persistence of the unseen long after the noise fades. While grandeur is alluring, it’s the quiet resilience of the overlooked that truly points the way forward.

The creation and production of Jarum dalam Jerami was supported by The Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology and premiered at Alek Mandeh - Festival Budaya Matrilineal 2022, West Sumatera, Indonesia.

Production Credits

Choreographer: Hartati
Music composer & musician: Jumaidil Firdaus
Music composer & musician: Taufik Adam
Costume design: M. Fahmi
Lighting design: Ricco Fadhillah
Dancers: M. Fitrik, Maria Bernadeta Aprianti, Siti Alisa Anjelira Fariza, Densiel P. Y. Lebang, Daniel S. Pambudi, Deka A. Saputra, Aditya Warman, Dendy Wardiman & Salsabilla
Stage Manager: Rr. Firsty Dewi
Technical Manager: Danang A. Syahputra
Team Manager: Tiara Sasmita
Producer: Keni Soeriaatmadja
Dramaturg: Adinda Luthvianti
Co-conceptor: Heru Joni Putra

Choreographer’s Note

Celebrations often sweep us away in a whirl of excitement, causing us to overlook the small yet crucial, simple yet potentially dangerous and unnoticed elements that are capable of shifting the entire atmosphere. Like a needle hidden in a haystack, joy can turn uneasy when we fail to notice what lies beneath the surface. The needle reminds us that behind every festivity, there must be care — a call for attentiveness, precision, and caution, for even the slightest oversight can change everything.